Hermione June Evans
by CoconutsAndJelly
Summary: Hermione Granger is no more. Enter Hermione June Evans, daughter to Holly and Chris Evans, younger sister of Petunia April Evans, and twin of Lily May Evans. Find out who she meets and what adventures she has and who she becomes as she grows up in an entirely new era. [Alternate Time]
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**Hello my avid readers! **

**I am extremely excited to announce that I have written a NEW story. However, due to my almost crippling self-confidence issues and lack of words - how do you manage to write 5,000 words, tell me - I am having doubts about continuing. So, without further ado, this is my prologue to what will hopefully become a novella of Hermione fun. **

**Lots of love, **

**Emmy. x**

* * *

Looking simply at the outside of the Evans' household, one could see nothing out of the ordinary.

A familiar gravel path, which parted an emerald-green lawn identical to the neighbour's, lead straight to an average arched doorway. An oak stood tall and proud at the front of the garden, which blocked one's view of this particular home and the one next-door and left dappled sunlight on the grass below, making the springtime daisies seem even brighter. The small step to the porch was barely noticeable; yet the porch itself was a tad bolder; its wooden railings painted a pleasant pale blue that complimented the light grey of the wooden door; it seemed the quintessential family home. If one were to inquire about the comings and goings of Number 37, the response would seem mundane.

Were you to ask Mrs Jennings, she would gleefully gush and recount every incident she could remember involving the couple and their little angels. She would then proceed to primp her perm and offer one tea as she informed one of any tale that involved the residents across the road. She'd subsequently frown as she realised that the particular family to which one was referring was abnormally normal and proceed to prattle on about the devilishly sordid details of _her_ next-door neighbour's life, Judy Geiger.

Yet even thought she was, perhaps, a bit too invested in the goings-on of the local community, Mrs Jennings had witnessed the growth of the Evans from duo to family. They had first arrived alone, on a warm spring day, but Mrs Jennings could tell that the young woman who'd gracefully slid out of their car was expecting; Mrs Jennings had a sixth sense about these sorts of things, so she had highly doubted the beautiful woman was aware of this.

And indeed, Holly Evans was a beautiful young woman. She stood, tall and slender, with a fresh face and rosy complexion that resembled the clouds above her. Her luxuriously wavy locks flowed down in vivacious curls until they met her uncovered shoulders, the contrast of chocolate to ivory as shocking as her luridly jade eyes.

Her husband seemed as blessed and Mrs Jennings could not help but get distracted by his tousled brown hair and bronzed skin, which shined in the sun. He had an athletic body; stood around 6ft 2 and she could tell that he had spent time in the gym.

The young couple emitted a comforting air of harmony and friendliness; it was obvious that this couple were suburbanites through and through. Mrs Jennings could tell that they would be heartily welcomed into the community, with the little kid they had on the way and the homey detached home across the street.

* * *

Mrs Jennings had been out in the garden when the familiar scream of a woman in hellish torture was shrieked into the street. The owner of that fierce cry was soon revealed as Holly Evans, pyjama-clad and flushing, was rushed out of their home by a sympathetic and worried Christopher Evans straight to the car, which then sputtered to life and sped jerkily down Halfpenny Lane, straight – Mrs Jennings assumed – to the hospital.

Around two days later, the Evans hosted a small gathering where they proudly proclaimed the birth of a happy, healthy baby girl: Petunia Evans. Their friends and family were invited as well as - to the surprise of most neighbours - the inhabitants of the street. Well, Mrs Jennings gladly attended, having felt fortunate for the opportunity to chat to someone new. It was there she met the littlest Evans and she could instantly tell she got her looks from her father. She conversed with the new parents, learning of the horrifying pain Petunia's mother had suffered and her plans never to have children again, but Mrs Jennings knew, from the look in the lovely woman's eye that there would be more children to come.

Safe in her bungalow, Mrs Jennings watched as baby Petunia moved from bundle to pram, to crawling and finally to standing on her own two feet. She saw the young baby grow into a young child, when finally her prediction came true.

For this particular announcement, the Evans had attempted to accommodate a plethora of relatives, colleagues and friends in their medium-sized home to celebrate the newest additions to their family, Lily and Hermione Evans.

These darlings were astonishingly beautiful, even as infants, and their appearance had made a stamp on all who met them. They were obviously not identical, but you could see the likeness rather well.

The one they named Lily was absolutely gorgeous, with satin red hair that had grown rather quick, a cute button nose and strikingly inquisitive jade eyes that sparkled just like her mothers.

Those emerald orbs were also found on Hermione, who was a tad smaller than Lily; yet her eyes seemed to express such pure naïvety and optimism that it was hard to look away. Her soft baby curls were a burnished auburn and shone in the springtime sun. They were wild, spiralling and rambunctious, yet they did not form a bush, rather a mane of red that framed her equally cute face.

Up until that point, Mrs Jennings had doubts about the Evans family; Christopher had been spending more time at the office than usual and Holly never seemed as happy as she had before.

But it was when she saw the love in the eyes of both parents and daughters alike, that she knew they would be just fine.

* * *

**Hey! Thank you so much for reading, I love to write but I always get nervous when posting; I know i'll never write as well as you you guys deserve but oh well. I appreciate any kind of _constructive _criticism, so please review with your thoughts and ideas so I can reply in the next chapter. I know this is a bit odd, but I love the idea of Hermione in the marauders era so, thanks!**

**Emmy. x**


	2. Chapter 2: The Muggle World I

**Hello! **

**It's my first ever proper chapter for Rewritten, and I have so many different emotions bubbling up inside me!**

**I hope you love it, but if you don't, tell me why and i'll try to make it better. **

**Lots of Love,**

**Emmy. x**

* * *

Hermione sluggishly blinked her tired eyes; immediately fastening them shut as several bright gleams of sunlight pierced her retinas. She didn't understand why, but she knew it was to early to be awake. She tried rubbing them in a vain effort to erase the bright, blurry spots from her eyelids, but to no avail. Then, realising that the burning spots of colour in what _was_ complete darkness were, in fact, rays from the sun, she reacted immediately snuggling further down into her haven of bluebell-coloured sheets, savouring the warmth and comfort she found.

Drawing a deep breath, she smiled drowsily as she recognised a delectably unforgettable fragrance – it sparked in her a subconscious desire to relive one of her favourite memories; so she serenely faded into the inviting images of last autumn.

* * *

_She'd been enraptured by the romantic riddle of witty repartee that was the 19th Century novel, _Emma_, and had spent that many hours in her little window seat at the library that she had completely neglected to check the time. This forced Hermione into the almost torrential shower that was thrashing the streets in solely her thick cream tights, a flowery pinafore dress and her trusty woollen cardigan. She felt ridiculous; the disapproving glances of passing trees were unmistakable as the beads of dew traced each rounded contour of her youthful face._

_The snowy-white collar of her dress seemed to attack her sodden neck at every corner, yet there was nothing she could do as she held down a flyaway dress that seemed instant on exposing her legs as she ran home, her windswept mane of usually loose ringlets pasted on her head by the lashing rain that poured from the heavens._

_She clung to her literature that she enveloped in her arms in a last-ditch attempt to save it, whilst she raced along the pavement; the unfortunate circumstance that Hermione found herself in could not, however, deter her from inhaling the sweet scent of raindrops hitting earth._

_She could hear the pulsing progression of the swollen stream as it rushed to the sea – an odd occurrence; the brook was predominantly languorous in its pursui__t of a superior river, allowing the myriad of minerals time to observe their scenic surroundings as they trekked. The rhythmic cacophony of her sprint seemed perpetual: the din of soles pelting pave stone and the infernal squelch of liquid-soaked moccasins matched the pace of her pounding heart but the adrenaline still rushed through her body; pushing her on._

_Finally she saw her house up ahead and hurried quickly, a blur of monochrome and russet in the incessant barrage. In anticipation of reaching her shelter, her spirits lifted. She threw a sunny wave over her shoulder to a bewildered Mrs Jennings from across the road, clad in her largest winter coat and wellies. She seemed to be rescuing several ornaments with blurry stains where paint had started to dribble - she swore that woman was always milling about doing something._

_Racing up the well-known step of her porch, she exhaled heavily and the exhaustion she had managed to suppress until then was freed. Drained, fatigued and panting, she drooped on the railing and tried to catch her breath. Without movement, icy fingers slid down her skin tauntingly and the uncomfortable sensation reminded her of just how wet she was. Annoyance crept in, slowly taking over, and she was worried that she would lose the liberating feeling of being in the rain. _

_Gathering just an iota of energy, she reached up and rung her doorbell, the chirpy sound mocking her weary form. The fence supported her as she gasped jerkily, glared at the door and willed for any one to answer. Relief flooded Hermione when she saw a shadow in the glazed window of her door. It swung open and she sighed delight as the short mahogany locks emerged from behind the half-open door. Nia - her personal nickname for Petunia - was her elder sister, and she was very dear to Hermione and her twin, Lily. _

_"Mia, what've you done, your soaked!" she shrieked. __She stood, temporarily paralysed at what Hermione now realised would look a bizarre sight._

_"Calm down, Nia. I've just got back from the library," she smiled, amused at her sister's reaction to the situation, as she waved her sodden books in her sister's face. Now she knew she would be warm and dry soon enough, she'd given up on being annoyed and settled on a tired but happy disposition._

_"You know, if anyone but me opened that door, you'd be in so much trouble," she scolded, trying to scare her. _

_Instead of reacting to Petunia's threats, she winked cheekily and pushed off the rail, her petite stature barely reaching her si ster's 13-year-old height._

_"Nia, you know Lily would never tell on me,"_

_"No, but she wouldn't be careful about s orting you out, like I am. Mum and Dad w ould know 'cause she'd leave the clothes in the washing pile and then try to blow-dry the books you've obviously ruined, " she smirked, looking pointedly at my dripping dress and the saturated sponges I'd never be able to return._

_Hermione looked down, thoroughly berated, and trudged through the door, her soggy shoes gurgling as she walked. _

_As she passed her, she muttered, "Thanks Nia."_

_"I'll always help you, Mi."_

_They moved into the hallway, the mint-gr een of the decor comforting the chilled girl. Petunia-_

* * *

"Mione, it's our birthday! Mione, Mione... Hermione, get up!"

She ignored the noise, burrowed further into her pillow and covered her ears in an attempt to get back to her pleasant dream, but the voice was insistent on ruining her hibernation. Finally giving in, she sighed and turned over, unfurling her body as jade met jade. Her twin had somehow crawled on-top of her bed and was now staring at her.

"Hermione, if you don't get up, I can't open presents!" Lily whimpered, her crimson lips seated in a pout no one could resist - well, no one but Hermione; she had the same lips that did the same trick.

"Lils, if I get up, I can't go back to sleep," she grumbled, pushing blindly in the direction of her sister to throw her off the bed.

It wasn't that she didn't love her sister, because she did, but Lily had always been an early riser - one of the few differences between the two - and Hermione was a bedbug if ever there was one. Every year since the two had gotten their own bedroom, Lily had woken her up at what felt like the crack of dawn to open their presents and, although presents were great, they weren't enough to get her up before she needed to be.

"I'll let you eat the first birthday brownie," she coaxed, her emerald eyes shining desperation; Hermione, who'd been subject to this bribery each year, sat up in her bed and stared, nonplussed; new she would never get it, but her twin seemed agonised at her lack of response . Lily was now standing by her bed, her eyes shining with nothing but innocence; Her mione decided to trust her .

This was their own little tradition; no matter what they got, what they did or who they met, they would always have their morning routine. Lily would wake up too early, get dressed and brush her teeth then spend ten minutes forcing Hermione out of bed, who would then proceed to do the same as her sister had. Then they would comb their long locks together and chat about the difference between Lily's vibrant red, pin-straight hair and her own ludicrous auburn spirals. Finally they'd rush down the stairs to breakfast. It was always different on their birthday, but good all the same.

"Really? You'd give me the first?" she trilled, hopping out of bed, newly energised, and looking up at her sister with hope-filled eyes. Her entire family were taller than her, since her Mum and Dad were older and Nia and Lils got their height from her dad, whereas she got her stature from her Grandma, who was tiny.

"Nope, you always fall for that!" she giggled, then sped off out the room.

'_That little...' _she thought, then burst into a run, ignoring her state of undress as she chased her sister. Running down the attic stairs, she then hurried along the first floor down the spiral staircase and turned right, into the kitchen, where Lily was sitting at their large table chewing smugly.

Hermione's dramatic entrance had caught the attention of the entire room, but she was focussed solely on Lily, and the minute slice of heaven that she'd placed on her plate.

Normally, Holly Evans gave the first brownie of their birthday breakfast to Lily because she was fifteen minutes older than Hermione - something she was never allowed to forget, especially since she was smaller as well - and so she had longed for that first sweet treat her entire life.

"Mione, why aren't you dressed?" she snickered, grinning widely at her twin whilst no one could see.

"Yes, you should go brush your hair; we're going to have a wonderful day, Sweet, and we can't do that if your in your pyjamas" her Mum smiled, looking amused at the short pink nightgown that flowed around her thighs. She glared at her twin then looked over at her parents, who were holding back a laugh.

"Sorry Mum, I'll go now," she offered, before racing back the way she came, mortified.

_'I can't believe she did that to me!'_ Hermione roared, almost slamming the door to her room in a fit of rage.

The twins' room was clean, neat and precise and any visitor could tell they took great care to keep it that way. A mint green wall contrasted with the cream bookshelves it held. Looking only at those shelves, Hermione could be mistaken for a librarian, but the multitude of pinafores, dresses and skirts in many different colours and patterns reminded her how old she really was.

Distracted by the happiness she felt at growing up, Hermione decided to forgive Lily for her prank, and let go of the anger she felt.

'_After all, it is my birthday... I can't believe I'm ten!' _she thought as she beamed to herself and skipped over to her wardrobe.

The sun was shining that sunday, as it had always done on the 3rd April. She smiled again at the lovely weather and started sifting through her clothes.

_'Maybe I'll wear that new dress? Where did it put it...'_

"Aha!" she declared, holding up the garment and assessing it for wear. The dress was cute: it was sky-blue down to her budding breasts, where it then flared, the fabric a floral pattern of white and royal blue, leaving folds at the top of the skirt.

She slipped off her nightgown, folding it neatly and placing it back under her pillow. Then she quickly dressed in her new favourite outfit, marvelling at the soft fabric. Then she ran over to her sock draw and pulled out a pair of white socks that ruffled at her ankle and always tickled her.

After combing her hair, brushing her teeth and checking she looked okay in the mirror, she ran back downstairs where a plate piled high with perfectly square chocolate brownies sat, waiting.

"Sweetheart, you look beautiful," her Mum cooed, "is that your new dress?"

"Yes, Mum," she beamed, the compliment raising her spirits even higher.

"Mione, you look so pretty!" Lily piped, looking apprehensively at her twin.

_'I guess she's worried about the joke,' _she thought, so she shook her head at Lily to confirm her forgiveness.

"Yeah Mia, that dress is so nice," Petunia added, giving her a soft smile as she sat across from her. She grabbed a brownie and put it on her plate, waiting for her mum to begin.

"Okay girls, to keep with tradition, you may have noticed that the flowers in the vase are two of my three favourites: lilies and hermione roses. Now, this is only the start; we have lots of presents for the both of you and then your sister has kindly offered to take the two of you to the park. That sound good?" she asked, and smiled as we nodded enthusiastically.

"Thank you Nia," she chimed.

"Yeah, thanks Tuney!" Lily echoed, grabbing her twin's hand and squeezing it in excitement.

"Lily, darling, as the oldest you get to open first present, so here you are," Dad said as he handed her a wrapped box.

The gift giving continued, with the brownies slowly being eaten as they unwrapped. Lily received a watch, some new clothes and some roller skates; Hermione got a few new books and cassettes, some new clothes as well, a Rubik's cube - which looked so confusing - and they both got some sweets that they shared with Petunia.

"Okay, for your final present, we've got something for you to share," her Dad said, reaching into the bag of present pulling out a neatly wrapped box. Lily gently took it from her and placed it in between the two of them, allowing Hermione to see as she opened it.

She ripped the wrapping paper slowly to reveal a black leather box. She undid the clasp and lifted the lid.

There, sitting on a bed of inky velvet, lay two silver chains, each with one emerald gem. Hermione couldn't help but notice that the jewels were the exact colour of their eyes. Those same shining eyes met, and with one look they knew these were going to be something special, some thing they treasured forever.

"Mummy, they're amazing," Lily whispered, looking down at the box in awe.

"Yeah, Daddy, I love them," Hermione agreed.

"Well, your sister found them. She insisted we get them for you, said they were perfect."

Both twins turned to face a sheepish-looking Petunia. She smiled at them and opened her arms, to which both girls automatically reacted. They rushed out of their seats and squeezed the life out of their sister.

"We're so lucky you're our sister," they both said, making Petunia laugh; their voices were muffled because they had their heads pressed up against their sister's chest.

"Okay, do you wanna go to the park now?" she laughed, standing up and looking at their parents for clearance to go.

"Yes please," they chorused, giggling at each other for the timing.

"Go on then, have fun! But remember to be back by five for dinner. Petunia, dear , here's some change. If you or the girls get hungry, nip down to Jacksons but just make sure you three don't eat too many sweets," her Dad rambled, handing Nia a fiver and kissing her softly on the head.

"Tuney, can we go on the swings first? I love the swings," Lily sang, grabbing hold of Hermione's hand and running out the door in her excitement but slowing down as they got to the road.

They strolled lazily down the lane to the park, which was just on the end of th e road. They waved to Mrs Jennings when they passed, who was potting her new tulips in the garden, and she wished them a happy birthday. They also greeted a few more neighbours, and Nia waved shyly at two tall boys she seemed to know.

Hermione tried to shrug it off, assuming they were friends of hers from senior school, but she couldn't help but wonder why she'd gone bright red when one of them winked. It seemed that Lily hadn't notic ed anything different about Nia, but she had been thinking about it for a while, whilst Lily spoke to Nia about what they would do when they were there.

_'Maybe she's embarrassed 'cause of that boy,' _she wondered.

Nia seemed just as away with the fairies as Hermione felt, and she guessed it had something to do with the boys they'd seen. She was still bright red, even though there was a cool breeze that offset the heat of the sun and the walk wasn't very tiring, so it wouldn't make her hot.

Chalking it up to one of life's gr e at m ysteries, Hermione shook the image from her mind and carried on, grabbing hold of Lily's hand and swinging their entwined fingers idly as they ambled along the pavement.

At last they reached the playground, which was nearly empty. Hermione spotted the swings at the far end of the park and began to run, pulling Lily and Nia along with her using their chain of connected arms. They kept running once they reached the sand-covered concrete, and raced to their own special swing.

Letting go of Lily, she parked herself on the lowest swing, the heavy metal chains pulling taut from the extra weight - not that she weighed much. She swayed slowly, veering her head toward her sisters, who'd already begun their ascent to the sky.

Not one to be outdone, she pushed off from the ground, launching herself int air, the plastic seat kept her from soaring into the stratosphere. Her legs propelled her upward, the fresh scent of springtime and new life wafting past in the breeze, cooling her face that had reddened from the exercise. She climbed higher and higher into the air and the blur of colour she saw as she passed the trees were the only thing that reminded her she wasn't flying. The red pole of the metal frame came into view as Hermione lent back, legs raising above her head until she was almost vertical.

"Mione, you're going too high. Get down!" Nia screamed in terror as the swing chain violently lurched back, stole the seat from underneath her and left her hanging in air. She dangled as the metal wobbled and the safety of the chains she'd been grasping was almost lost. She knew she would fall but she still willed with all her might that she'd land softly or the ground would let her bounce back like the trampoline they'd used in school. Squeezing her eyes, the force of the motion snatched the cord from her clammy hands and she waited for the collision.

The fall felt longer than anything, her stomach churned and she gaged in mid-air . Her out-streched hands hit the floor first but the force of the fall pushed her forward. Her hands grazed, skin tore and pain shot from every nerve. She felt like she'd been thrust onto a bed of nails.

A dull thud sounded as her head finally hit the ground. It jerked upward from the impact, sending harrowing torment to her brain in random waves and making her tremble, then dropped again, breaking the skin of her nose and forehead. For a moment she just lay there, letting her mind grasp the concept that she'd fallen and was most likely concussed.

For some reason, the collision had caused a lasting impression on her head so as soon as she'd conquered the torture the fall had inflicted, the wound would bombard her with more excruciating agony. She tried to scream in pain, but the sheer exhaustion she felt prevented her from doing anything but wheezing and gasping at the burning sensation.

Dizzy and blinded by pain, the terrified shrieks of her sisters were muffled and distant, as if not there. Instead of trying to understand her the indistinct caterwauling, she focused her mind on the lesser lacerations her skin now sported, willing them to go with all her might.

She knew wishing was useless, and was about to give up, when suddenly, something changed. Slowly, as if by magic, the pain of her hands - which were riddled with cuts - seemed to dwindle. Hermione sighed as she felt the pools of blood and grit vanish and the sliced skin seal. The same lacing action was repeated on her face, leaving only a throbbing ache in her head.

She pushed herself up on her elbows, scared that if her hands touched the floor they would break. Inspecting the now clean skin, she marvelled at the miracle that had happened. Turning steadily to her sisters, she frowned at their shocked expressions.

_'Shouldn't they be happy I'm okay?' _she thought as worry crept up on her, _'do they think I'm odd?' _

"Mione, that was groovy!" Lily squealed, her face changing from stunned to amazed in a matter of seconds. Breaking into a run, she squeezed Hermione tight and whispered, "You're okay, right?"

She nodded to her twin, still astounded by what she'd done. Then, remembering that Nia had also seen the act, she looked up to her eldest sibling, who's mouth was wide open in shock.

"H-How did you do that?" she spluttered, gawping at the embracing sisters in morbid curiosity and horror. By just looking at her eyes, Hermione could see Nia's mind buzzing with thoughts of the bizarre incident. Emotion flooded her eyes quicker than Hermione could follow, but she caught flickers of fear, wonder, concern and confusion.

"Isn't it obvious?" a voice called from their right. All three girls whirled around to where the noise had come from, the speed irritating Hermione's head. Their brows furrowed simultaneously, however, as they came face to face with nothing.

Petunia started to tremble, seemingly terrified of the invisible voice, but the twins formed a united front, crossing their arms and looking out at the empty space. Hermione, whose head was still pounding, didn't feel like waiting for veiled person, and stomped her foot with a resonating bang.

"Come out, you great coward. We know you're there!"

There was an eerie silence as nothing happened. Hermione banged her foot again in frustration.

Finally, a boy slid out from behind a tree. Hermione couldn't help but notice how scruffy he was; he wore a wrinkly shirt and brown trousers that swamped him . He looked pallid, like he was meant to be in a hospital, not a park, and there was an ink stain on his nose. His eyes were too wide, his mouth too small and his large nose was just a little bit crooked, as if his features didn't quite fit his head. She frowned at the awkward looking smile he had forced onto his face, which made him look strangely sinister. Looking at him, she could tell he came from the Cokeworth estate, the rough town next to their pretty village.

He didn't seem to want to elaborate on his comment, but this didn't suit Hermione, so she shouted again.

"What did you mean, it's obvious?"

"Well, it was magic," he stated, as if it was fact. They girls had mixed reactions, Lily seemed amused, Hermione was amazed and Petunia was most definitely annoyed.

"Magic isn't real, you divv," Nia scoffed looking down her long nose at the bedraggled boy, "what are you, barmy?"

"If you don't believe me, just try it," he said, looking at the younger girls. They both nodded at the boy hesitantly, moving slightly closer to him.

"Why can't Tuney try?"

"She's too old. She would've gotten her letter by now..." he trailed off, unsure of whether the girls were just joking or not.

"What letter?" Nia asked, visibly distressed at her sisters' acceptance of the boy's drivel.

"A Hogwarts letter, of course. Hogwarts is a school for witches and wizards, and you get a letter inviting you to go; only if you can do magic," he explained, dropping down shyly to sit in front of Hermione, who relaxed under the shade of a large oak with her sister, resting her mended head on the massive trunk.

Hermione could tell Nia was unsure about the situation, but she was so curious about trying this 'magic', that she patted the grass next to her as a signal to sit. After a moments deliberation, she sat and stared at the loopy lad who'd appeared out of nowhere. Once all the girls were comfortable, the boy began to explain.

"Well, because you haven't harnessed your magic, you just wish for something to happen-"

"I did that!"

"Yes, you did, and you were healed."

Hermione could feel her sister silently seething at what the boy was saying.

_'I wonder why she's upset...' _she wondered.

"You can do almost anything, like this." he said dramatically.

He plucked a blade of grass from below his legs and pointed his finger at it. The girls were silent as they stared in fascination and waited for the wizardry to begin.

Then, as quick as lightning, the blade transformed. From emerald to pink, they watched in awe at the spectacle. There, in the palm of this boy's hand, was a beautiful hermione rose, fresh as the daffodils that had sprung from the ground.

"A hermione for Hermione," he said softly, placing the rose in her hand.

Hermione and Lily seemed in awe, their jaws slack and eyes wide, but when they looked over to their sister, her face had turned sour.

"How did you know her name?" she snarled, sitting up straight, her piercing eyes focused solely on the boy.

"I-I-I heard you say it before,"

"You weren't there when she fell, you shouldn't of seen her,"

"I-I-"

"You were _stalking_ her!" she screeched, shooting up and pulling her sisters with her.

"No, I was-"

"Who even are you?"

"S-Severus Snape"

"Your a _freak_!" she spit, her towering form threatening him silently.

She was so absorbed in insulting the boy that she hadn't noticed Lily's soft sobbing at her treatment, or the fierce snarl on Hermione's face.

"Well if he's a freak, I must be a freak, 'cause I did the same thing!" she roared at her sister.

With pools forming in her eyes, she wrenched her hand from Lily's and bolted down the path.

She could hear the cries of her sisters calling her back as she sped toward the gate, but this only spurred her on. She sprinted even faster, her breathing uneven and the pavement blurred below her as she felt another surge of adrenaline. The fitful thump of her footsteps echoed in her ears and she felt beads of sweat mixed with tears roll down her cheeks. Forcing her legs to push harder, she dashed past their nosy neighbour and straight to her door.

She didn't stop for the obstacle, but yanked the handle and barraged her way through the door. She darted past her parents - who'd rushed to the hall because of the noise - and clambered up the stairs, swinging the door shut with a resounding crash, like lightening over a roof.

She flung her body onto her soft cotton sheets, crawling up to her pillow, where she lay her head. Acerbic tears dripped from her eyes as scene replayed in her head, but she swiped roughly at her moist cheeks ignoring the chafe of friction. White hot and painful, her eyes refused to stop, and the over-whelming burn of rejection seared her chest where her charred heart lay still.

Her logic screamed in fury, indignantly reminding her that she'd done nothing wrong, but she was dehydrated and sore; she didn't care for logic. She was livid, and she should have been angry at Nia, but instead she was enraged at herself.

_'She doesn't hate me, she hates what I am' _

She sobbed for what felt like hours, and she had exhausted herself completely. It was still morning, and the sun glared from the window, but the world had blurred around her, so she wasn't affected by the illuminating rays.

Finally she succumbed to fatigue and closed her aching eyes, slipping into the alluring darkness.

* * *

If the atmosphere in the Evans household was tense, Hermione was completely oblivious.

The next day, she'd woken later than she ever thought she could - around 1pm. She blundered toward the bathroom, washed the sleep and dried tears from her eyes, then passively cleaned her teeth.

She didn't bother changing, instead she languorously made her way to the kitchen in her rumpled, tear-stained dress. Her usually perfect curls were knotted and static from her restless sleep, but she thought nothing of it. She slumped over to the cereal cupboard, not noticing her mother stood in the doorway, helplessly watching her broken angel.

Hermione assumed, since it was monday, that Lily and Nia were at school.

Lily and Hermione were in their last year of primary school, whereas Petunia had moved on to the big school. The twins had a few friends, and they were amiable with all the children, but they never really connected with anyone specific. They were top in their class, so naturally the others were jealous of the attention this brought. These beautiful girls were the apple of the teachers' eyes, having charmed them as they moved up the school; this did not sit well with the other children.

_'I bet Nia's told all her friends I'm a freak by now,' _she thought bitterly, biting a little to hard on her spoon.

Any excitement at being ten had been throughly scoured from her mind by now, leaving only acridity. Her normally calm and pleasant demeanour had changed completely.

It was as if someone had poked her socket with a metal rod. First, her fuse had blown, then her components had become defective and now she was infected with the remaining electricity. The excess did not belong there, so she tried expelling it any way possible, but no amount of harsh violent movements, clenched shaking fists and callous, biting words could calm her. Unfortunately, all they did was charge her even more, and although her quick temper fought valiantly, she could not ignore her sanity any longer.

She sat, paralysed, as she listened intently to her logic as it defended Nia and tried to expel her anger, which had begun to dissipate already.

_'Nia never called you a freak, you assumed she did," _

_'Yeah, but that Snape boy can do what I did and she thinks he's a freak!"_

_"Yes, he can do that, but he was also following you. You don't stalk people, do you?'_

_'No!'_

_'Well then you're not the same as him. You know I'm right, just admit it.'_

Hermione nodded to herself, happy to have sorted her confusion. She looked up, only to meet the concerned face of her mother, who sat across from her.

"How are you doing, Sweet?" she asked, her eyes soft and comforting.

"I'm okay now, Mummy,"

"Lily told me what happened, at the park..."

"You, you know what I did?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself and facing the floor.

"Sweet, you're not strange, you're just special," she promised, grabbing her daughter's hands and pulling them delicately to the table, "Petunia knows that, she was just worried that that boy had been following you. It was wrong of her to be mean to him, but she never meant you were a freak."

"But Mum I saw it, she was scared of_ me_!"

"No, she was scared _for_ you. You did just fall of a swing, remember,"

"Yeah but-"

"No, no buts. When she comes home, she's going to apologise, okay?"

"Yes, Mummy."

"Alright then. Now, I have some baking to do, and I was wondering if you could help me, considering you're not at school and all," she smiled.

Hermione nodded enthusiastically, she loved to bake and her mum always made it fun, especially when it was just the two of them.

"Good, but you need to clean up. So go wash, get changed and brush your hair."

She squeezed her daughter's hand in silent comfort then let go and walked over to the radio. She flicked on the radio, and _Happy Together_ by The Turtles blared into the kitchen.

After doing what her mum had asked, the two begun. They baked all afternoon, dancing to the radio as they ambled along. Her Mum was baking for a village fete, so they made all different types of sweets, which had piled up on the table.

Hermione was just putting another batch of biscuits in the oven, when the she heard the door open.

Lily ran into the kitchen and stood still, momentarily awed by the sheer amount of food the duo had made, when she caught sight of her sister - who she had assumed was still upset - whistling to the tune of a Frank Sinatra classic. She edged closer to her sister and lunged, holding the shocked girl in her arms for just a second, then pulling away.

"You're okay!" she squealed, and the noise pierced Hermione's ear-drums.

"Yeah I'm-" she stopped, as her sister edged into the room. Looking at the guilt-ridden features of Petunia's face, she made up her mind.

"Hey Nia!" she grinned, "How was school?"

"Fine..." she trailed off, looking sceptically at the smiling girl.

"That's good, but you really should wash your hair now you're home," she beamed, walking back to the counter.

"Why?" she asked, her face confused.

"Because," Hermione started, picking up a bag of flour and dumping the contents on Petunia's head, "you're all messy!"

Then, dropping the half-empty bag back on the side, she ran past a still frozen Petunia.

Safe in her room, she chuckled as she heard the distant cry of,

"HERMIONE!"

* * *

**Hello again! **

**Now you've read it, tell me what you think by reviewing; it really helps me improve my writing.**

**To Lizzie: I'm not really thinking about the Marauders yet - even if i can't get Sirius out of my head - but when I do I think you'll be happy with who i've decided to be Remus' mate.**

**To Aleeta6: Thank you for pointing that out, completely my fault! It was my very first edit and I felt so stupid, but that's the kind of thing I need my readers to tell me about, so great job! **

**To Black Mirror, LastMidnightcat, suspicion93, Rigoudon3 & PeaceLoveUnicorns94: Thank you so much, you completely inspired me!  
**

**Lots of Love,**

**Emmy. x**


	3. Chapter 3: The Muggle World II

**Hello! **

**In this chapter, you'll see more of Hermione in the family, and with Severus, so look forward to that. You may notice some changes to Hermione in the story, but that's just how I feel she would be different, having lived with the Evans'.**

**To answer a reviewer question (thank you for reviewing, if you did) -**

**DGfleetfox: Hermione, Lily and Severus will most likely be just friends. **

**Thanks again, **

**Lots of Love, **

**Emmy. x**

* * *

If you asked Hermione what her favourite holiday was, the answer would definitely be Christmas. With logs on the fire and gifts by the tree, their little cottage had become the Santa's grotto of her village, and Christmas was always a family affair.

Her Mum would always have some festive treat on hand for any passing visitors, and her Dad thought it imperative for them to try a new wintery beverage every year: this year it was mint hot chocolate, something Hermione had taken a shine to.

The Christmas lights of the Evans home shone like beacons, guiding their close friends and family to the celebrations. It had taken two two days, thirty-three batteries and the help of all five residents to decorate the house – not that Mrs Evans helped much.

She had, however, taken the month leading up to Christmas, when the girls were off school and her husband was on leave, as an excuse to cook almost every recipe in her repertoire.

To begin, she and her girls had made five-dozen batches of triple chocolate fudge squares, which had taken an entire day to make. All three siblings had been sent to the bath before they went to bed that evening, where Petunia found remnants of fudge in the oddest of places.

The next day, they'd wrapped the sweet treats in festive plastic, which made them look almost professional. These were, of course, for the inhabitants of Halfpenny lane and consequently, Hermione, her sisters and her Mother had received more praise and greetings than ever before from neighbours in the following week.

The seasonal cookery continued pleasantly, and next up on the list was Lily's favourite desert, a gingerbread house. The pointed creation was smothered in icing, sweets and candy canes, and Mrs Evans had taught her daughters how to make evergreens using a candy cane, strawberry laces and some glaze, so the girls made a miniature forest for their house. The siblings then lovingly decorated a replica of their little village green for their local church raffle, where the locals cooed and complimented their creation. Hermione loved to see the jolly smiles on the parishioner's faces, and decided that giving was even better than receiving – which she liked a lot.

The next venture was a special request from their Grandma, Carol Evans, who'd needed a Christmas cake and a substantial amount of mince pies for the annual party she hosted – to which the family had been invited. The girls had thoroughly enjoyed learning to make pastry, something they'd never done before, and they all made it to the party in one piece.

Hermione's Dad finally managed to drag them away from their confectionary-crazed Mum when they went on a family trip to the nearest garden-centre in Taddington, where they picked the biggest tree they could find. When they got home, their Mum had made colourful stain-glass biscuits that they could hang from ribbon.

They sat on a tray, waiting for a branch to nestle on and the girls stared in awe of their mother's handiwork.

Hermione and Lily had met covertly in their bedroom the week before Christmas, emptied their piggybanks and counted their money. After realising that they didn't have that much, they headed down to the Saturday market, where they bought a little something for each of their family members.

By the time Christmas Eve came around, the atmosphere in the home was magical: the house permanently smelled like freshly baked cookies, tinsel had been hung on every available shelf and all the family had taken to wearing Christmas colours.

The five were all curled up on the sofa, sipping from mugs of mint hot chocolate and watching _Miracle on 54__th__ Street_. Hermione was eager to get her presents in the morning, but just feeling content with her parents and siblings was probably the best gift she'd received that year.

At 10pm, the sleepy children were sent off to bed, and they slept soundly, their dreams filled with gifts and cheer. The next morning, they were not disappointed.

The children received their presents from their parents first: new clothes, board games, cassettes and stationary were all accepted excitedly. Petunia shyly passed her parents a small, decorated box, which contained hundreds of photographs she'd taken of the family, and the twins were given leather-bound journals.

Finally, after a long morning of ripping paper, it was the girls' turn to give. They gave their sister her present first; a gold-chained necklace with a red rose charm. She gushed over her new piece of jewellery, hugging both her sisters tightly. They then presented their parents with their gifts: for their Dad, a few records by his favourite singers, and for their Mum, a large book of baking.

The day passed slowly, with lots of crackers, turkey and laughter. Her Dad managed to set fire to his new jumper when he lit the Christmas pudding aan It was by far one of Hermione's best Christmases yet, but Hermione had one more surprise in store.

The twins clambered up the attic stairs after saying goodnight to their parents, hugging Nia and thanking everyone again for what they'd received.

Once they'd slipped into their pyjamas, Lily called her sister over to sit on her bed. They sat facing each other, Hermione just a tad smaller.

"Mione, do you remember that Snape boy from our last birthday?" she asked hesitantly, looking at her sister.

Hermione did, indeed, remember Severus Snape, but he was someone she constantly wished she could forget. He had desecrated her birthday, made her feel bewildered and perturbed, and single-handedly instigated _the_ most horrendous fight she'd ever had with her sister.

'_Why she's bringing up that wretched boy,'_ she grumbled to herself, before eyeing a still nervous-looking Lily.

"Yeah," she shrugged, looking away momentarily, "what about the him?"

"Well, you remember what you did, right?"

"Of course,"

"And you remember-"

"Just tell me!" she interrupted hastily, annoyed at her meaningless ramblings.

'_She's normally so upfront…' _

"I can do what he did, and what you did,"

"What?" she asked perplexed, looking at her frowning sister.

"I can do magic too."

* * *

The new year brought a new, unfamiliar atmosphere to number 37.

Petunia, who'd turned 14 by then, had swiftly transformed into a typical teen. Apathetic to everything but herself and her friends, she had distanced herself from her younger sisters' juvenile fun: swapping February afternoons at the park for gossip-filled shopping sessions in town and baking with her mother for long telephone conversations about boys and crushes. It seemed to Hermione that Petunia was ever-changing; her wardrobe swapped from preppy and pretty, to grungy and dark then straight on to neon and raves. She could barely keep up with her sister's mood swings, which were unbearable for everyone in the house. She sometimes wondered what had made her eldest sibling such a monstrosity, but never dared ask.

Lily and Hermione, to substitute for their sister's absence, had gotten even closer. Hermione still refused the notion that what they were doing was magic, but they practiced like crazy. She had also noticed some unconscious trickery, like when flowers would bloom wherever she sat, but she couldn't be what that boy was.

_'Nia would never talk to me again,_'

Hermione had thought of Severus Snape more than she ever thought she could. She tried to rationalise the day so many times, it was beginning to make her brain hurt. She scrutinised every moment in her mind, scraping at an empty barrel for explanations of what that boy had done. It was obvious he had a screw loose, but she didn't think he belonged in the loony-bin. If she was a 'wizard', she'd probably want to find some kids her own age that were the same - _not_ that she and Lily were.

She remembered what he'd told them, of Hogwarts and letters, but the proof of the pudding's in the eating, and there was nothing on her plate.

She couldn't totally dismiss it, considering he'd told them Nia wasn't magical, and they hadn't turned eleven yet, but it was so, ludicrous, preposterous, comical even, that she just couldn't accept it. The idea that they were witches, things she'd read in fantasy and fiction novels, just flabbergasted her. To think up all of these facts, like the magical school and letters; he must have a vivid imagination if he could come up with this entire world of 'magic'.

Some days, she felt foolish for ever treating him badly; he only did what she'd done, and it wasn't his fault he knew more about it than she did. She'd start making a batch of her mother's famous chocolate orange biscuits and her mind would run wild with ideas of apologies.

She'd go to the Cokeworth estate - which was considered suicide if you didn't live there - and find out where he lived. She'd knock on every door and politely inquire about his whereabouts until she found him. Then, when he tried to escape, she'd grab him by his hand and offer him the freshly baked treat. Then, once he'd bitten into the taste sensation, he'd forgive her wholeheartedly and they'd become friends.

It was around about then in her little dream that she remembered she'd called him a freak and then run out of the park. Also, Petunia would never accept him as her friend; she thought he was round the bend.

Other days, when Hermione wasn't feeling quite so repentant, she'd scream his name to the heavens, cursing the day they ever met and blaming him for any problem she could think of.

The same idea of baking would arise, but because she was thinking with her cruel, revenge-seeking, sinister side, she'd poison the cookies easily.

She's march down to the Cokeworth estate and they'd all be too scared of provoking Hermione's wrath to speak to her. She'd bang on every scummy council house till she found his. Then when he tried to run away, she'd drag him back by his greasy hand and forced the food down his stupid little throat. Then, once he started choking on the essence of foxglove she'd 'lovingly' prepared, he'd beg for her forgiveness as he slipped into the eternal darkness, curtsey of Hermione Evans.

It was around about then that she'd realise she was strangling an object and force herself to calm down.

* * *

On the 3rd April, everything changed.

"**AAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

Hermione was roused from her peaceful slumber by blood-curdling screech she could hear from the top of the house. Her eyes snapped open, automatically searching for the source of the war cry. Once she'd realised it hadn't come from her own room, she jumped out of bed and raced down the stairs. She almost slipped when her foot got caught in her pyjamas, but she righted herself hastily and kept on her chase. The screaming had stopped by then, but she could hear the commotion in her kitchen before she got to the hall.

The room was in complete chaos; her Mum was screaming furiously at the top her lungs for her Dad to do get rid of something Hermione couldn't see.

"Get it out, Christopher! Get it out of my kitchen! It's vermin! VERMIN IN MY KITCHEN!"

Her Dad, in what Hermione decided was an active reply to her mother's caterwauling, was bellowing at the window from the top of his lungs.

"Scram, you filthy beast, we don't want you here!" he barked, poking the broom out the window.

Lily, meanwhile was screaming in what Hermione quickly identified as pure despair. She was begging and pleading her Dad in an incomprehensible language, barely spewing her words out in between dry sobs and hiccups: it seemed she'd been crying for quite a while, which unnerved her, because her sister never cried.

"Please... do't... huuur'... ti'!" she wailed pathetically, clutching the counter in an effort to stay standing up.

However Petunia, who Hermione eyed with growing irritation, was clutching her _stomach_, bent over and releasing peals of laughter. She seemed to be the only one to notice Hermione enter the kitchen, and gasped, trying to stop, but when she failed she begun cackling again.

"You really can sleep through anything!" she squealed, as she turned away from the commotion to face her youngest sister.

"Mum's been like this for twenty minutes, all 'cause of some ruddy bird!" she chortled, reminding Hermione of a snotty boy in her class.

_'Bird?' _

Hermione turned to face her sister, her temper flaring as she tactlessly smirked whilst she watched , having calmed herself.

"Nia, what's going on? What bird?"

"Duh, the big owl that flew through the window! Mum's terrified, but it's not going anywhere."

"And why is Lils crying?"

"She's been blubbering about keeping it safe or whatever, but Dad's gone barmy! Hasn't let go of the broom since he got downstairs!" she snorted, pointing at her Dad, who was still poking the stick through the window.

"He's mental..." she whispered, staring in shock and awe at the pandemonium her birthday had become.

_'My birthday. I'm eleven."_

She started to pace as memories flashed in her mind, hinting at the answer that she couldn't quite grasp. Suddenly...

"The letters!"

She raced to her Dad, ignoring the bewildered look she was receiving from Nia, and pulled sharply at his jumper, shocking him out of his attack toward the poor creature. He dropped the broom with an almighty clang. This brought everyone's attention to the bird and Hermione.

She could faintly hear her mother howling punishments at her.

"IF YOU DARE TOUCH THAT BLEEDING BIRD HERMIONE EVANS YOU ARE GROUNDED FOR A MONTH!"

Petunia, it seemed, had become very serious and was hurling insults at her sister to get her to back off.

"Your a frigging basket case, you know, you'll get killed! What am I gonna tell my friends, that you were mauled by a barn owl?"

It was perhaps when her Dad grabbed her own pyjamas, that Hermione slightly lost the plot. She swiftly manoeuvred from his grasp and turned to face them.

"Look, I just need to check something, and you're not going to change my mind by banging on about my funeral like I'm already dead!"

But it was definitely when she saw those rolls of paper clasped in the birds talons that she knew she'd unhinged the stark raving mad she'd always thought ran through Petunia's veins entered her own.

"I knew it!" she yelled, turning to her Mum and sister, who kept crying their rage, "stop shouting, you'll scare it!"

She turned to Lily and grabbed her hand, pulling her over to where she was stood. Her sister had stopped crying, and was now looking at the irked creature with love.

"It has letters, Lils, like Snape said."

"Letters?"

"Letters."

They both spun to face each other, leaving the bird - who was ruffling his chocolate feathers, obviously disgruntled. She searched Lily's eyes, taking in the concern and excitement in her jade orbs and Hermione found that, like most of the time, she just _knew _what her twin wanted to do.

She slowly approached the owl, and Lily went over to the cupboard. She grabbed a shallow bowl and filled it halfway, glancing over her shoulder while Hermione untied the letters from the owl's legs. There were two, each with the same address, but they had different names. Hermione watched, still gripping the papers tightly, as her sister gently placed the bowl of water in front of it.

She passed Lily her letter, and shakily breaking the blood-red wax seal of the envelope and slowly pulled out two heavy pieces of paper.

When she unfolded them, the paper seemed wrinkled and yellow, but she ignored this and started reading.

* * *

_Hermione Evans,  
37 Halfpenny Lane,  
Preston,  
Lancashire,  
PR3 2OL  
_

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY  
Headmaster Albus

(Order of Merlin - First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)

Dear Miss Hermione Evans,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1st September. We await your owl by no later than 31st July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress

* * *

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

**Uniform**

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes in black  
2. One plain pointed hat in black, for day wear  
3. One pair of protective gloves in dragon hide or similar  
4. One winter cloak in black, with silver fastenings

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags and we shall not be responsible for any missing items of clothing.

**Course Books**

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

_by Miranda Goshawk_

A History of Magic

_by Bathilda Bagshot_

Magical Theory

_by Adalbert Waffling_

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

_by Emeric Switch_

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

_by Phyllida Spore_

Magical Drafts and Potions

_by Arsenius Jigger_

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

_by Newt Scamander  
_

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

_by Quentin Tremble  
_

**Other Equipment**

1 wand,  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set of glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl, a cat or a toad.

**Parents are also reminded first year students are not allowed their own broomstick, however they will be provided when necessary.**

Yours sincerely,

Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus

Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions

* * *

"Girls, what's going on?" her Dad demanded, standing boldly in front of them with a strict face. He had moved away from Hermione's Mum, who was no longer shaking now that the owl had gone and had sat down.

Petunia had also stopped screeching and was slumped in the chair next to her mother, looking forlornly at the window where the source of her entertainment had just left.

"I'm going to Hogwarts." she whispered in awe, her hands almost quivering with shock.

"No," Lily said, grabbing onto her sister's hand and squeezing tight, "_we're_ going to Hogwarts. Together."

They both beamed at their parents and shoved the letters their faces. Holly took Lily's as Chris snatched Hermione's. A whirlwind of ideas and questions flooded her mind and fluttered around, surfacing one after the other only to sink back down again.

_'I'm magic! Wait, I'm magic? I'm going to Hogwarts... What will it look like? Will it be modern, old, run-down? Will it be hard? Will there be loads of people? Oh god, what if there's heaps of them and they try to kill me! No, they won't, will they? Will Snape be there, he said he'd get a letter? When will we see Petunia?'_

At that thought she paused, looking up at her elder sister. It seemed she hadn't noticed Hermione's gaze, and by the look on her face, she wouldn't want her to.

Petunia was glowering, her arms were crossed sharply as she scrutinised Lily and her parents. With one last contempt-full glance at a frowning Hermione, she swept furiously out of the room like a turbulent hurricane.

Her parents, who were gushing over her sister, hadn't noticed Petunia's departure, and that irked her.

"You're so special, Honey, you and your sister!" her Mum grinned, enveloping Lily in a warm hug.

"We always knew you were. Congratulations, dears!" her Dad chuckled, patting Hermione in his laddish affection.

They both sounded so proud of the twins, like they'd known all this time, but she knew they couldn't of.

_'She thinks she's not special..." _she realised as her mother embraced her excitedly.

"I'm going to see Nia, okay?" she asked quietly, slipping away with a nod from her Dad.

* * *

Petunia's room was like an alternate universe to Hermione.

There were loud posters covering her back wall, hiding almost all of the gaudy, pink, neon paint. Her covers were zebra striped and flashy and more stuff than Hermione thought she owned had been thrown onto the floor. Almost every surface was covered in clutter, but she still seemed so neat, lying on her stomach and writing in her journal.

"Nia?" she said consolingly. It was, apparently, the wrong thing to do, she realised, as Petunia's face became sharp and angry.

"What now, Mia! Come to tell me how great you are again?" she cheered sarcastically, shutting her journal a bit too forcefully and manoeuvring to sit back against her headboard, her body ram-rod straight.

"No, I just, wanted to make sure you're okay," she sighed, coming to sit on the bed by her sister, "I know you think it's all tosh, but you saw what he did, and what I did. Lily can do it as well, she's shown me, it's no-"

"Wait, Lily knew?"

"Yeah, we've both been practicing it a lot an-"

"You've been practicing? Practicing!? You could of killed us all!"

"No, it was harmless, we just made flowers and some other stuff. We know what we're doing!" she replied indignantly, getting a tad angry herself.

"You don't know what you're doing! God, I was right when I said it the first time; you, Lily, that pleb, you _are_ freaks! Yeah, that's right, you're not special at all, Miss hoity toity. You're common as muck and you can just bugger off!"

"Ni-"

"I don't want you here, get it? I don't want you or your freaking twin to speak to me, touch me, approach me or even _look_ in my direction!"

Hermione, who was so angry she could barely hold it in, slammed the door so violently, she was worried it would fall of it's hinges. She was still breathing heavily as she left the room, and she felt almost ill with rage as she fumed.

Crunching her hands into fists to control her outrage, she headed to her bedroom.

She'd considered just storming out of the house, but she was still wearing her pyjamas, and, as fashionable as they were, she didn't think it'd do to be walking around in a nightdress she'd slept.

Anger still raged through her, but she refused to lash out, shutting the door carefully, waiting to hear the click of the handle before she turned to dress.

_'She's just jealous, it's not personal,' _she chanted, as she picked out something.

Her temper had receded somewhat, but she was still volatile. The only things that spurred her serenity were Lily's reaction and thought of her last birthday. It she stayed calm, her sister would probably do the same, but if she exhibited her ire, she would become protective and start a fight. She didn't want to ruin her birthday again; they deserved a nice birthday.

Once she was dressed, she walked back to the kitchen. She slipped quietly past Petunia's room, not even glancing at the wooden door, instead choosing to finger the buttons of her pearly cream cardigan.

Her family - she could tell they had heard - were waiting anxiously for the inescapable anger that was sure to come, but it never did.

"Mum," she started in a strained voice, "Lils and I are going to the park, okay? We'll be home for lunch."

"That's fine, Sweet. I love you," her Mum said, kissing the top of her head.

"Love you too."

"Take your brownies, girls, you can have a little picnic and we'll open presents when you get back," her Dad added, passing Lily a large plastic tub full of warm brownies that were steaming up the container.

The two walked the familiar route to the park, waving to Mrs Jennings as they passed. They strolled leisurely through the playground, heading across the field to the river. They settled under a oak that overlooked the small river, the gentle rush of water flowing matching the hum of comfortable silence.

They just sat, Hermione's floral yellow dress matching the spring daffodils that had bloomed all around. She smiled at her sister, who was eating a brownie gradually, and turned onto her back and looked up at the tree. Watching the singing birds perch on the branches above her, she whistled to their tune as they celebrated the coming of new things.

"I didn't know she was upset," Lily sighed, startling her out of her stupor, apparently ready to assess the damage Petunia had done.

"I did. That's why I went to check on her."

"We haven't done anything!" she groaned frustrated and swung her head back onto the trunk of the oak with a resounding thump that broke the air of calm.

"No, but we have something she doesn't." Hermione pointed out, looking around at the trees.

"I don't get why she's jealous of us, she's great at history!" Lily growled softly.

"History is not the same as magic, Lils," she shrugged, grabbing a brownie from the box and chewing mildly.

"So you are witches!" a voice called from behind, making both girls shoot up from their relaxed positions, their heads moving quickly as they tried to locate the source of the voice. Hermione had an idea of who it was, and it was easily confirmed when Severus Snape shuffled shakily from behind a tree.

_'Is the boy only ever in trees?' _she mused mirthfully as he scuttled toward them.

It seemed he had grown somewhat over the year, making his already lanky figure somehow more gangly and twiggy. His oblong face had thinned a little, revealing sharp, angular cheekbones and a square chin. His dark umber eyes were sunken, and deep bags filled the gap to his high cheekbones. His low eyebrows gave him a foreboding air, and his long nose hooked over the thin lips of his narrow mouth. His pale features were only half visible, though, due to the greasy mop of pale, unkempt hair. His raven locks made is slender neck even more elongated, but they still refused to hide a large silvery scar running down it.

He was slouched with uncertainty, most probably remembering the last time they had met. She also noticed that his clothing had improved somewhat; though they were still too wide, they seemed the right length for him now, and he wasn't wearing those god-awful rust-coloured, corduroy trousers. He was clad in all black, despite the shining sun and high temperature of mid-spring.

Hermione, having realised that the boy had done nothing some time ago, smiled lazily at him and patted a patch of flattened grass in what she hoped was an inviting gesture.

"Hello Severus," she laughed, bizarrely amused, not threatened, by his strange behaviour.

"You are witches then? You got your letters?" he demanded impatiently, a courageous act for someone so introverted.

"Yeah, we did. We're going to Hogwarts!" Lily squealed, waving her hand frantically before grabbing a brownie and chomping heartily.

Hermione sat up, and peered over to a still-standing Severus, who looked hungrily at the box. She picked up the box and shook it at him, silently offering to share. He snatched one from the top of the pile, sat down where Hermione had gestured, and begun munching on the sweet treat.

"Did you get a letter?" she asked the sallow boy curiously, who sped up his chewing and swallowed dramatically.

"Yeah, my birthday's the 9th January, so I've already got mine." he answered, before biting into the brownie again.

"I wonder where we'll get all that stuff. I mean, it's not like they sell it all at co-op, is it."

"Yeah, I doubt they have used wands and cauldrons in the charity shop," she added, laughing at the thought of the elderly shop assistant cashing in with little twigs.

"They have shops and all that in the wizarding world. My Mum's taking me to Diagon alley in the summer holidays to get my stuff."

"Diagonally, what on earth does that mean?"

"No, Diagon Alley, a wizarding street in london. Mum says it's really cool, but I've never been allowed to go."

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

After that, all three lulled into a gentle hum of nature and quiet, their minds traveling in all different directions.

"How will we get there?" she asked Severus, looking over to him perplexed.

"Where?"

"Diagonally?"

"It's Diagon Ally, and I don't know."

"Well that's no good, we don't know where the school is, where to get our supplies, we know nothing about magic _and_ we don't have an owl!" she exclaimed, utterly bewildered at the thoughtless mistakes the school had made.

"Why would you need an owl?"

"We have to owl in conformation that we'll be going in September, but we can't cause we don't have a magical owl and Mum's scared of birds," Lily answered for her, smiling shyly over at Severus.

"Well, I'm sure I could ask my Mum if she could take you all with us, when we go I mean," he suggested shyly, obviously excited at the prospect of getting to know the girls better.

"That would be great!" Lily beamed, happy to have met this kind, if not a tad shabby, boy. She checked her watch and yelped as she saw the time - it was almost 1pm.

"Mione, we have to get back for lunch!" she said frantically, pulling herself up to stand by the tree.

Hermione graciously stood, looking down at a nervous and disappointed Severus, who was obviously upset about the girls departure.

_'He must get really lonely' _Hermione thought sadly, studying the boy.

"Hey Sev, do you want to come for dinner at ours? It's Mum's special birthday meal," Hermione offered kindly, hoping to speak to the boy some more.

"I'd love that!"

* * *

**Oh My God!**

**Was it awful, terrible, great or a load of drivel! Tell me please; I can take it! Probably...**

**Thanks again for reading and please review,**

**Lots of Love,**

**Emmy. x**


	4. Chapter 4: Diagonally We Go

**Howday!**

**I have written some more! Argh, it's so scary publishing this shiz incase it's a total cluster mess, but hey ho. I 'ope you like it and read on my friends.**

**Lots of Love,**

**Emmy. x**

* * *

Spring grew into summer faster than Hermione could fathom, as did her growing friendship with a certain greasy-haired stalker of hers. She and Lily, much to Petunia's dismay, had spent practically every waking moment with their new friend since their birthday.

When they had taken the boy home to meet their parents, he had acted even shier than when he had first met them. To add to the already stressful situation, their mother had called her eldest daughter for lunch. Petunia, who'd assumed that Hermione and Lily were still at the park, had burst into the kitchen, taken one look at who sat around the wooden furniture, and stormed into the hall. An incensed cry of "I'm going to Marjorie's!" was heard, before the door slammed.

Severus had stuttered worriedly, babbling about how he would leave and never return, but Hermione's mother had silenced him with a single, meaningful glance. She promptly loaded his plate with potatoes and began to chat to him about books. After that, the atmosphere in the room lightened and conversation flowed like the river they had first met at, fast and smooth.

Mrs Evans had fully embraced the strange boy as part of her family, going so far as to allow the girls to let him stay in the guest bedroom when his mother was away on business. She nurtured his caring and social attributes with the help of Lily and Hermione, who introduced him to sweets, games and friendship.

Together, the two had begged their mother for a new set of clothes for Severus; he still wore that giant blazer that they learned had belonged to his father, and the awful brown trousers he never seemed to wash. To prove their point, they had gone so far as to stain the shirt when they were baking together, then when he arrived the next day, point out the large blemish that had remained. After that incident, Mrs Evans had taken the girls out to the local charity shop, where they picked out some plain, block-coloured t-shirts and a nice pair of black jeans. She'd quietly slipped them into the bag he was carrying, with a note saying that they were now his and to look after them well.

They met every weekend, chatting idly under their leafy oak about anything and nothing, slowly becoming acquainted with each other. Every other Saturday, the twin's dad would take them all up to Derby Stadium, where they supported their local team by screaming and shouting.

The first time they took Severus, he had been appalled by the 'rowdy yobs' that he saw, yelling their opinions about the ref's decisions, but he grew to love the bedlam of the stands and the roar of the crowd, even joining in. Through this, his relationship with Chris got even stronger.

The topic of magic and Hogwarts would often come up in conversation and all three were eagerly anticipating the arrival of their day trip to Diagon Alley. The girls would eagerly demand to hear everything he knew about Hogwarts and magic, and in return he would ask to see what magic they could do. He'd explained to them that his mother had called it 'accidental' magic, and she'd said that it wasn't to be trusted because it was very temperamental.

On weekdays, Lily and Hermione would attend their local primary school and while the girls learnt literacy and arithmetic, Severus was being home schooled by his mother. This was, perhaps the only amount of time they spent away from each other in the days leading up to the school holidays. Severus would take his lessons with his mother - which always ended at 12pm on the dot - then make his way over to the Evans' home, where he would aid Holly Evans in whatever endeavour she had taken up that day; by the time the girls finished their schooling, he was almost as good a baker as she.

* * *

London was teeming with people, like an infestation no one could eradicate. They materialized everywhere with the unique ambition to congest the streets and hinder pedestrians. However nothing, it seemed, could stop Eileen Snape from reaching her destination.

Hermione had met Eileen Snape a few times since she'd befriended Severus, and the woman - she had fondly come to know as 'Twiggy' - had definitely made a lasting impression.

From what she had seen, she was a dispassionate, stringent and pragmatic woman, her pallid features displaying none of the emotion it was assumed she felt. However in moments where she became completely void of feeling, her face completely barren, Hermione entertainingly theorized her to be a vacuous extraterrestrial being, detached from the puny feelings and surroundings of earthlings. She'd had a lot of fun imagining the planet she had actually come from, and realising that this glacial attitude was quite repellant. Hermione had bemusedly observed that it incited a rather large increase in the amount of pedestrians walking the opposite direction.

Her forehead was capacious and corrugated, most undoubtedly due to the amount of disapproving grimaces she made, but her narrow, socketed eyes made her seem somber and ailing and the dull mud-like brown that seemed never to sparkle matched. A sharp square chin that sunk down her swanlike neck stunted her seemingly ever-growing and tremendously oblong face. Unkempt eyebrows had been left to grow, loosely arching around her short eyelashes. Her thin coral lips sat comfortably in a frown, making Hermione wonder whether they would crack if stretched even an inch, and she had a nose of roman origin, straight and practical. Unlike her son, who had long, wiry locks of oily black; Twiggy had tedious brown hair so straight it looked like it'd been cut out of wood and painted and hung around her neck like a choker.

She was remarkably thin, so much so that she seemed she would break when the wind blew too harshly, yet her skeletal form still towered over Hermione, reedy and unnerving. She seemed only to ever wear black, and not very remarkable styles at that. In Hermione's honest opinion, she was eerily similar to an illustration of the Hansel and Gretel witch she had seen in a fable book she had received from her mother when she was young.

Today, the day when Hermione was finally going to enter the Wizarding world officially, she was clad in a modest raven dress that fell to her mid-calf, the only exciting features being the three silver buttons sown in a line starting at the high neckline. Her descendant, Severus, seemed to be dressed to impress – well, compared to his usual low standard of clothing – with his black jeans and a smart white shirt.

Whilst the two tall, dark and brooding residents of Spinner's End blended naturally with the blur of business suits and dingy dark alleyways that Twiggy lead them through, Mrs. Evans and her two youngest daughters were a rainbow of cheerful summer shades that stood out like bloomed flowers in a field of weeds in the squalid back-streets of the city.

Hermione had peered up the high walls of the buildings, searching for the tops; to no avail. The architecture in London was more advanced, more diverse and certainly more elevated. Coming from the northern countryside, she knew nothing of the culture and community in the capital, but from what she could see, it most definitely wasn't friendlier.

'_I doubt these people even know their neighbours!' _she thought, her mind conjuring a picture of her homey street.

She had known Mrs Jennings her entire life: she had babysat Hermione, visited their home and naturally, greeted her every time she left the house. She could not imagine a world where the meddlesome woman across the road would not exist, but this was London, a place where everyone was much too busy to care about the goings-on of others.

Talking of hectic, Twiggy had managed to increase their pace again, so much so Hermione wondered if they could race the cars. It seemed that their fearless leader knew where they were headed, but she couldn't help but worry. The streets were getting darker and narrower, making her think worriedly that perhaps the Snape matriarch was planning to murder them and dump the bodies. She seemed the type.

Finally, she brought the small party to an abrupt halt. Hermione looked up to the dingy, decrepit building, which stooped low as if he would fall at any moment. It's raven paint was flaking wildly, revealing dark oak underneath and the anticipation and ardor that had been building in her heart plummeted, leaving only disappointment and worry.

_'Is it all like this?' _she frowned, looking at the shabby bookshop and a slightly brighter, yet still beggarly, record store. She couldn't even see the door of the building, and it seemed that it didn't have a clean window to look through. If anything, it looked abandoned, and she could see why; health and safety wouldn't touch this.

_'Not with a ten foot barge pole...'_ she tutted, looking over to a scowling Lily, who was obviously less than impressed.

"Is this it?" she whinged, adopting a grouchy stance of folded arms. The two twins were known for their sweet smiles and kind words, but quick to take offence, and renowned for their ability to go spare when provoked.

"No, you've got to go through here to get to it." Twiggy grated irritatedly.

"How are we supposed to know, this place is manky!" Hermione added in support of her sister, ignoring the outraged look her mother gave her for her language.

"Well, if you just shut your trap, we could get inside!" she snapped, walking swiftly away from her and muttering under her breath. Severus sent a pleading look over to her, silently apologising for his mother's behaviour, then moved to follow her. Her mother sent her a sharp glance, telling her to behave, then followed after the two. She and Lily pulled up the rear, an amused sparkle in their identical eyes.

The black door to the shop was a scummy, run-down Narnia, holding another world inside. Right then, looking at the rotting handle, she wondered whether or not it was worth it: to go to this magical place, to leave her parents, to become someone else, something else; to lose Petunia.

"Get a wriggle on, Mione, I want to see this blooming great alley!" Lily said, pushing her forward. Dropping all thoughts of her elder sister like a hot baking tray, she turned a stiff wooden handle, pushing hesitantly on the creaky door and stepping inside.

It looked like a viking's dwelling, with a large brass ring holding torches that lit the room. One long wooden bench took up most of the room, with a few rounded tables dotted around in the empty spaces. Every surface had a stool underneath, making room for as many customers as they could fit. Fifty or so paintings plastered the badly-painted white walls, and Hermione could see two shelters in the brick. A young man wearing a brown waistcoat leaned on the bar, looking out at his patrons. There were a few people in the pub, all with long, swirling robes, but Hermione couldn't see her mum. Glancing quickly across the room, she conceded that Twiggy had left them for dead, and jabbed her sister hard in the ribs.

"They're gone."

"What?"

"They've left without us!" she whispered, gesturing to the room.

"They can't have, they'll be here somewhere. Go ask that man," she urged, nudging her sister gently toward the bar. The gentleman seemed to notice her sudden movement and looked up from his gorm to the nervous girl. Hermione turned to glare at her sister, but she was conveniently looking the other way. Gathering her courage, she walked toward the man, looking up at the bartender who was a lot taller than her young petite frame.

"Can I 'elp you, lass?"

"Yes, I was wondering if you've seen a strict-looking woman, a young boy and another woman? My name's Hermione, by the way," she added, offering her hand across the bar.

"Tom," he said, grasping the outstretched hand and shaking quickly, "they just went through to the courtyard, lass, you'll find them through that door there."

He pointed toward a dark door with a colourful stain-glass panel. She nodded her thanks, and grabbed Lily, waving to the nice man as she ran off passed people sipping beers and chewing their grub. She wrenched the door open just in time to catch Severus' mother tapping the wall, but all hopes of pretending they were there all along were spoilt when Lily pulled the door closed with a loud bang, knocking Twiggy's concentration. She swore under her breath, making all three Evans' look toward her in contempt, but she didn't notice as she begun her pattern again. Severus, having also remained oblivious to the disapproving glances sent his mother's way, stood to the side, staring excitedly as he remembered the explanation his mum had given as to how exactly one arrived at Diagon Alley.

They waited patiently as Twiggy tapped her wand, not bothering to explain what she was doing, until she stopped dramatically.

"Before you enter, you must remember that this is a very busy place and therefore you must stay with me at all times. If, at any point, you manage to lose sight of us, find a woman with a child and ask her to direct you to Ollivanders' wand shop, am I clear?" she lectured in her normal crisp tone.

_'Ollivanders,' _Hermione tried to memorise, forgetting almost instantly about who she should ask.

With a painfully correct flick of her wrist, Mrs Snape's wand hit the stone of the dull wall and the bricks begun to separate. All three children stared at the moving slabs in shock and awe, casting their minds back to moments when they had done magic like that. Mrs Evans looked as if she might faint, her chin hitting the floor as she gawped on, utterly gobsmacked.

"Come along then, we've got lots to do if we're ever going to get these lot off to Hogwarts!" Twiggy exclaimed, straightening her back in determination and striding into the street. Severus, again, was the first to gather his senses, grabbing the hand of Lily, who in turn poked her sister in the head before being dragged down the road. Hermione snatched her mother's hand and made her way through the wall, pulling along her mum, who seemed in bits after witnessing what felt like the parting of the red sea.

Signs swung wildly from each doorway they passed, advertising things Hermione's had never even heard of, and she wished she had all the time in the world to read them. There were shops selling robes, stalls trading jewellery, a store shifting teabags, shelves stacked high with ingredient-filled jars, windows full of dusty tombs that teetered on the edge of collapse, rolls of that strange paper, quills and strangely enough, a sweet shop.

She barely had time to glance at each display, her head spinning frantically, trying to absorb it all as Twiggy lead them through the crowds. She could see what felt like millions of children, all running excitedly toward their parents, showing them all sorts of things, from newt's eyes to cats and toads. She wondered about their stories, whether or not they were heading Hogwarts-way this year, or if they were coming with a sibling; if they were muggle-borns, or if they'd grown up surrounded by magic. Suddenly, she was ripped from her stupor as her mum squeezed her hand. She looked up to her, and then to what was apparently right in front of her as her mother indicated toward it.

There, towering above the fast-paced shoppers and neighbouring shops that filled the streets, was an imposing, light ivory building, with stone pillars and a great panelled door. The entrance itself was placed at the corner of the building, making it seem ten times as colossal. Engraved in the stone overhanging was the name of the shop: "Gringotts Wizarding Bank".

_'Not a shop, then,' _she mused, eyeing the sign.

Hermione's gaze was blurred as her mother tugged her gently into the grecian structure. They slipped through the doorway and into a marble-stoned hall that housed nothing but a staircase.

She gracefully ascended the stairs and they lead up to a set of burnished bronze doors. The doors were flanked by a stout, pallid creature in a uniform of scarlet and gold; he stood, unmoving, staring out at group. He nodded imperceptibly at Twiggy, then turned to open one half of the entrance and she ushered us inside.

Through these doors, also flanked with goblins, was a vast marble hall. Pillars adorned with gold lead the eyes along the passage, and two grandiose, glittering chandeliers were hung weightily from the the marbled ceiling. Long wooden counters stretched along its length, with doors leading off to another, darker passageway. At each bench, another of the repugnant critters sat, counting golden coins or writing with feathers. There was around a fifty of them, all together, but she couldn't tell, because there were people everywhere.

Twiggy, who - as far as Hermione could tell - hadn't stopped moving all morning, was off like a shot, speeding toward the nearest pointy-eared server. When they reached him, she found his nose to be almost conical in shape, and he had scraggly bits of wire for hair.

"I wish to make a withdrawal from the vault of Prince, and that woman there would like to exchange muggle money for wizarding currency. You shall also arrange a vault each for the two red-haired girls." Twiggy announced, looking down haughtily at the thing.

"And do you have the key?" he drawled, leaning over his desk to look at Severus, who was frowning at the ghastly beast.

"Of course."

"Very well: you follow me. The _muggle-borns_ will need to see Ragnok," he droned, hopping down from his tall stool to meet them on the floor.

"Wait here," he ordered, waddling off and slamming a door three times his size.

"What are they?" she questioned, looking over to where it had just left.

"They're goblins. Incredibly smart, but not the nicest creatures."

That, it seemed, was enough for the others, so Hermione held in her inquisitiveness. They waited what felt like a minute before the same goblin came out with another who looked almost the same, but his tapered nose bent at the end.

"Follow me." the original being directed harshly, and tramped away, Twiggy and Severus following.

"What will you do first?"

"Um, we'll set up the accounts?"

"Follow me."

He turned, and clambered up to the stool that the other goblin had been sat on.

"Name"

"Lily, Lily Evans"

He paused, peered over to Hermione and her sister, then scribbled with his feather.

"Age"

"She's eleven"

"She already has an account, vault 567, it has been set up by Albus Dumbledore. If you wish to see your vault, this is your key." he sneered, passing a large bronze key over the counter.

"Okay, thank you. And the other vault is for Hermione Evans."

"She has one also: vault 373."

"Okay then, can we exchange some money?"

"How much?" he drawled.

"£2 000"

"That is 404 galleons, 8 sickles and 6 knuts. Is this sufficient?"

"Yes, thank you. If you could please split this amount evenly between the two vaults."

"This will require entering the vaults."

"Then can we please enter the vaults."

"Follow me," he stated, descending the stool and meeting them on the ground. They walked in silence to the high archway at the end of the hall. The feeling of grandeur she had perceived the room before to have was abandoned quickly, as Hermione entered a cave-like tunnel. In front of her, balanced precariously on thin steel tracks, was a strange contraption, not unlike the sleigh her father had made for January, when it had snowed.

Ragnok lit a torch from another that hung in the entrance.

"Get in" the goblin ordered, stepping into the shallow cart, placing his lit stick into a holder and sitting down. Her mother made for a seat on the row behind the goblin, and Lily took up the rest of the space on the bench. Sighing at their lack of courage, she plonked herself to the serious-looking creature and turned to face him.

"Vault 567" he said, looking forward into the damp, badly-lit cavern, and with that, the mine cart was off.

Hermione thanked god that the small being had lit his lantern, because as soon as they left the entrance, a darkness descended.

Finally, they ground to a halt in front of a large black door. it was plain and simple, with a large brass keyhole. The goblin stood from his seat and clambered out of the cart, heading straight to the door. Again, the ladies followed his lead, coming to stand on a stone ledge. He swung the door open and stepped inside, letting them enter as well.

"This is the vault of Lily May Evans. It contains 300 galleons, 10 sickles, 1 knut and a sealed envelope, all added by Albus Dumbledore. After the transactions you have made today, it will contain 502 galleons, 14 sickles, 4 knuts, and a sealed envelope," the goblin announced, gesturing to the stacks of shiny coins of three separate colours. At the bottom of a large pile of golden coins, lay said envelope, begging to be opened.

"Wow," Lily gasped, looking out at the sea of metal.

"I was told to inform you that you must read the letter inside your vault and then make a withdrawal. Whilst you do this, I shall take the other girl to her vault." he stated, turning sharply and heading back to his cart. Hermione waved uncertainly to her mother and sister, who was clutching the envelope tight, then followed the creature out of the room.

The two slid into the machine and he relit the lamp.

"Vault 373"

They were off; she sat, waiting anxiously as the cart trundled along, barely able to see her own hands. The journey felt like a lifetime as the travelled deeper into the cavern.

_'Why's mine so far away from Lils?' _she thought, her brow furrowing.

The screech of breaks brought her attention back to the little goblin, who was, again, clambering out onto the rock ledge. Hermione followed, staring out at the intricate door. It was covered in elaborate iron swirls, and the keyhole was silver. He clicked the lock with her large iron key and pushed forward, opening the door. The two stepped through and met the same image as was in Lily's vault, only it seemed it had increased.

"This is the vault of Hermione June Evans. It contains 400 galleons, 12 sickles, 1 knut and a sealed envelope, all added by Albus Dumbledore. After the transactions you have made today, it will contain 602 galleons, 16 sickles, 4 knuts, and a sealed envelope" he stated, looking over to a confused and awe-struck girl.

"Why does my vault have more money?" she asked.

"The vault of Hermione June Evans was created in 1962, when she was 2 years of age. At that time, muggle-borns were given a larger sum of money from Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry to sustain them. The vault of Lily May Evans was created in 1970, when she was ten years of age. The amount given to muggle-borns had lowered by then."

"Oh"

"I will stay until you have read your letter and taken what you wish from your vault. We will then return to your mother and sister"

"Okay," she muttered, heading toward the plain paper, which looked so out of place in the glittering gold.

* * *

_Hermione Evans,  
Vault 373,  
Gringotts Wizarding Bank,  
North Side  
Diagon Alley  
London_

Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry

(Order of Merlin - First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)

Dear Miss Hermione Evans,

I am pleased to know you have decided to join us at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry; I am sure you will be a pleasure to teach.

I have enclosed in this vault, an amount sufficient to your learning at Hogwarts, however you may wish to transfer some of your own muggle money. As I assume you will be collecting your supplies, I recommend you withdraw from your account a sum of 40 galleons, which will most definitely last the year. You should also bring money with you when you attend Hogwarts; it may be needed.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress

* * *

"May I withdraw 40 galleons, 4 sickles, please?"

"I shall arrange for that to be done."

"Thank you," Hermione nodded to the goblin, who was gathering coins in a brown drawstring bag.

* * *

After meeting Lily in at her vault, they beamed at each other and jingled their drawstring bags simultaneously. Hermione decided not to tell Lily about the extra money, thinking it wasn't a big deal.

They hopped onto the moving cart and wriggled about as it slowly ascended the tracks back to the entrance. They quickly found Severus and Twiggy, who tutted as they chattered excitedly about seeing their vaults.

So caught up in their conversation, they didn't realise that they had entered another shop. Looking away from the still-talking Severus and Lily, Hermione searched the room for a sign of some sort to tell her where they were.

The place looked just like the local clothes shop, only the shelves were stacked high with black, dull robes, and the displays were moving. In the centre of the room were two round platforms, painted white and two pairs of feet stood, still as statues, on each. Hermione could see what looked like a tape measure scaling the leg of a young boy - she didn't bother to look at his face -, though it was moving by itself.

Twiggy was talking stiffly with a brown-haired lady a tad shorter. She pointed roughly at the group of three, who were all staring around the room. Hermione noticed her finger and stared defiantly at an aggravated Twiggy who was making her way back toward them.

"Alright, she can do the girls in a minute. Severus and I will go and collect your stationary; do not leave this shop." she ordered to Hermione's mother, grabbing her son by the elbow and dragging him out of the shop.

"Mum, what's that lady doing?" Lily asked, pointing to the brown-haired witch who was now manually measuring the young boy on the pedestal.

"She's measuring him for clothes, dear. I think that's what she'll do for you next," her mum told her, patting her daughter's shoulder in reassurance.

"Your's heading to Hogwarts too, then?"

All three red-heads spun around to face the voice. There stood a tall man, clad in a well-tailored, raven-black robe, not unlike those that surrounded them. He had midnight hair to match is clothes and pale skin the contrasted. His skin wasn't pallid, like Severus', she noticed as she looked into the grey eyes, which was quite a feat as he stood very high, his sharp features holding a sense of regality reminiscent of royalty.

"Yes, they're quite excited. Do you have a child?" her mother replied, glancing down at the pretty faces of her daughters.

"No, but my nephew's entering into his first year this time, so we've come with his friend's family to pick up his equipment,"

"Oh, that's very kind of you. My name's Holly, Holly Evans, and these are my daughters," she smiled, gesturing to the twins.

"Hello, sir. I'm Lily," her sister beamed. Hermione could see her mind racing with thoughts of his nephew and wether they would meet him at Hogwarts.

"Hermione, sir," she added, nodding politely in his direction and playing with the hem of her dress.

"What beautiful names, I'm Alphard Black," he introduced, looking down at the two, "I'm guessing you haven't worn robes before?"

"No sir,"

"Well, Madam Malkin has very capable hands. I'm sure you'll be fine. Looks like he's done," he stated, and waved at her mother before heading in the direction of the door with the boy who'd just been on the podium.

"Well girls, if all wizards are as nice as him, you should do well in the wizarding world."

After that, it hadn't taken too long to buy their robes. Twiggy then arrived back with her son and a bag full of pens and paper, though she had called them quills and parchment, for some bizarre reason.

As they left, she remembered that her friend hadn't been measured, so Hermione asked why they weren't buying robes for Severus, but his mother immediately dismissed the idea, saying:

"He has perfectly good robes at home!"

To avoid the awkward silence that had followed, Mrs Evans suggested that they head off to wherever they were to go next. As always, Twiggy marched off, chuntering about something or other under her breath. Hermione had learned to just ignore her when she begun a new rant, because getting involved almost always lead to trouble - for her anyways.

They'd sprinted in and out of a dark shop filled with cauldrons, Twiggy ignoring the calls of street sellers as they passed. They'd picked up a cauldron and brass scales for each new student, then they headed toward a shop called Flourish and Blotts.

When they entered, all Hermione could see were books. Shelves were stacked to the ceiling with millions of tombes as large as paving stones bound in leather, whereas other books were the size of postage stamps in covers of silk. Some spines were full of peculiar symbols and a few books had nothing on their covers at all.

They followed an ever-determined Mrs Snape passed the volumes and straight to the desk.

"I want three sets of the required books for Hogwarts students," she demanded, staring at the yawning shopkeeper who was slumped in a comfy-looking armchair.

"One moment, ma'am," he nodded, standing up and walking through a door behind his desk.

Hermione turned around to look at the bookshop, which was brimming with people. It reminded her of the library at home, but it was a lot larger in size. She stepped closer to the aisles of novels, running her hand softly over a collection of golden lettered fictions; the leather casing felt silken to the touch.

She weaved through the people, reading any title she could see; her attention was captured by the shelves, and wouldn't let go. She was so enraptured, she barely noticed that she'd reached the end of the aisle till she was flattened, a scarlet book in her hand, by a sandy-haired boy who'd hurtled around the corner. He was laying on-top of her, dazed and confused, his brain unable to catch up with his actions, and she was in the same state.

"Oy, I don't think this is the place for a quickie," a boy's voice invaded Hermione's bewilderment, and apparently the boy's, because he immediately jumped up, his face as ruby red as the book she still clutched. She pushed up on her hands until she was sat up, then rubbed the sore patch on her arm.

_'That's going to bruise' _she grumbled, standing up to face the boys. They looked around Lily's height, meaning Hermione barely reached their eyes.

The blonde one who'd fallen onto her had long, shaggy hair, and small, amber eyes. His nose was narrow and rounded, his lips concave and the colour of salmon. He had soft, peachy features that highlighted his blushing cheekbones.

The boy standing next to him was slightly taller, and a lot more regal. He held his classically sharp features high, a stubbed nose raised above the two others. He had charcoal black locks that fell into his grey eyes in waves. This thin, raspberry-pink lips were curled into an amused smirk, and he had his arms folded as he looked between the two children involved in the accident.

"You love birds done yet?" he chuckled, making the other boy blush even harder and Hermione frown. He had the voice of a child, yet he said things she didn't dare to think of, and all in that southern accent.

Hermione knew that non-magic southerners thought anyone from further up than Milton Keynes was either a yobbo or a pillock, but she wondered whether wizards thought like that. She decided to speak with her accent anyway; she was proud of her heritage.

"We _aren't_ love birds, thanks,"

"Hey, I'm not judging, but hanky panky in public-"

"We weren't doing anything!"

"Alright, don't have a cow," he laughed, completely ignoring the crimson boy stood next to him.

Hermione felt a wave of compassion rush through her; he was obviously embarrassed by the situation, and it seemed they'd caught the attention of quite a few customers.

"I'm sorry, I should of been looking where I stood," she began, offering her hand to the slightly less reddened boy who shook it hesitantly.

"It- It was my fault, really. I just ran past," he replied, only to be interrupted by another voice.

"Remus! Remus dear, where are you?" the anxious, high-pitched tones of an elder woman's voice called, searching for someone she needed to find.

"Here mum," the boy - Remus - said, turning around to face his mother.

_'Can't stand around like a gooseberry all day' _she thought, sending one last fleeting look at the two confusing boys and grabbing the interesting red book titled _'__Achievements in Charming'._ She headed around the worried woman who was squeezing her son, much to the amusement of the black-haired annoyance.

She retraced her steps along the leaning piles of books to the opening of the aisle, where she was promptly smothered again.

"Where have you been?" a muffled yet relieved voice filtered into Hermione's ears. She snuggled into the warm body that gave off the sweet incense of freshly baked biscuits and home.

"I went to look at the books," she mumbled, barely reaching her mother's shoulder as she reached on her tip-toes. The warmth she had felt was lost almost instantly, though, as her mum pulled back, still grasping onto her daughter's shoulders tightly as if she would disappear if she let go.

"You must _never_ run off like that, do you understand me?" she scolded, smoothing Hermione's hair, which had mussed from the anxious hug.

"I only went for a minute, mum!" Hermione placated, looking up at her mum and grasping her tightly in a hug, nestling into her baby-blue chiffon summer dress.

Lily and Hermione had always been told they were pretty babies, but they knew their mother was a classic beauty; they only hoped they would grow to be half as beautiful - which, if comments were anything to go by, was highly probable. Whilst Hermione was petite and dainty, Lily was taller and more agile; they had both gotten their mother's beautiful English colouring, though the bright ginger hair differed in texture.

Petunia, however, had inherited her father's dull brown hair and dark brown eyes; athletic, curve-less, lanky figure; and sharp, severe features. She was complemented on her stick-thin figure, but never her curves, and people automatically assumed she was a runner which seemed to annoy her immensely.

"I don't care Hermione June Granger! Mrs Snape has been waiting for you and your sister is going spare!"

"Mum-"

"No, little madam, you are coming straight with me. We are going to wherever Eileen wants and when we get home, you are going straight to your room!" she lectured, grabbing onto Hermione's hand and dragging her out of the doors.

The crowds on the interesting street were massive, full of students and parents scrambling to buy their Hogwarts stuff. Even in the thick London smog of the overcast day and the anarchy of unorganised parents, the group managed to stay close to one another, especially with Mrs Evans' tight grip on both her daughter's hands. Lily's head was still swivelling to and fro, but Holly had her eyes set firmly on the clasped hands of her daughter; it seemed Hermione had sparked the protective instinct in her mother, as had this unfamiliar, dangerous place where she couldn't protect her 'baby'.

_'I'm not a baby,'_ Hermione grumbled as she stomped along the cracked pavement, her free hand clenched tightly in aggravation.

After the boy had riled her in the bookshop, it seemed her irrational, hot-tempered, and moody side had come out again, meaning everything seemed annoying or pointless. Her and Lily had woken that morning to a barrage of acidic, abusive and downright absurd insults from Petunia in the morning before they'd left and learning that they couldn't bring their daddy because the eldest daughter had also canceled her shopping trip she was in no mood to be messed with; as they travelled, the excitement of joining this new and interesting world cheered them up, then Hermione had come crashing down again. The day had been the emotional equivalent of a mountain range, but it wasn't over yet; they were yet to receive their wands.

Eileen held her arm up and motioned for the group to move over to the left, stopping in front of a lilliputian shop. Peeling gold letters over the door read: _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C._

The shop's display window presented a solitary wand, laying on a faded purple cushion behind the dusty glass, looking neglected. Hermione turned her gaze from the lacklustre offerings of the window to the open door, where Twiggy was entering, when the hanging brass bell chimed.

The shop was tiny, empty except for a single, spindly chair in the corner. Thousands of narrow boxes containing what Hermione assumed were wands, had been stacked right up to the ceiling, making the shop look even more cramped. Hermione ran her hand along a heap of wands that lay on a desk, then scrunched her face as she found her hand was stained with grime; it seemed the whole place had a thin layer of dust about it.

Twiggy walked straight to the shining bell which sat on a dark wooden desk. They waited a few seconds, until a wrinkled man appeared from behind another heap of smiled politely to her mother and Twiggy, then looked over to the three children before him.

"Hello little ones, what has you perusing my little shop this dreary afternoon?" he greeted.

"We're here for wands, Garrick, but do make it snappy; I do not have all day," Eileen ordered, crossing her arms and looking up at the taller man. She reminded Hermione of Petunia's petulance.

"Miss Prince, you know that the wand chooses the wizard, therefore I cannot determine how long your visit will be."

"It's Mrs Snape now, and try, for the love of god!"

"I shall, Eileen, I shall. Now who wishes to go first?"

All three kids looked toward each other, and Hermione could see the pleading look in Severus' eyes, whereas Lily looked excited and hopeful.

"I'm easy," she said to the other two, leaving the decision to them.

"I really want to go first," Severus told her shamelessly, making Hermione cringe with embarrassment for her friend who wasn't well versed in social etiquette. Her sister took her time deliberating, but the strong friendship the two had built with the Severus won out in the end.

"Well... okay," Lily conceded, backing away to stand next to Hermione and grasping her hand tightly. She couldn't understand why her twin was so effected by this; it wasn't like she wouldn't get one.

"What is your name, my boy?" Mr. Ollivander asked him, summoning a measuring tape from thin air, much like the one in the robe shop.

"Severus Snape," he said eagerly, shoving his arm boyishly at the tape measure.

"Well, my name is Mr Ollivander, and I will be finding you the perfect wand today," he nodded, as if he had decided something and went to work, commanding the measuring tape to find his outstretched arm and other random parts. Once he had scribbled each detail, he retracted his tape measure and turned on his heel, heading back into the mess Hermione assumed was behind his desk.

Severus seemed to bounce on his toes in anticipation, and Hermione and her sister were squeezing their hands silently sharing their excitement.

"Severus, stop that!" Twiggy snapped, just as Mr Ollivander returned, struggling with about 20 boxes identical to the others that filled the walls.

"Now," he said, gently opening a box and plucking a long thin stick, made from beautifully carved wood, "This is a ebony and kelpie mane wand, 11 1/3 inch."

He passed the wand over to Sev, who grasped it tightly.

"Give it a swish lad! This one's quite unpredictable," he urged, looking interested at him.

Severus slowly raised his hand, and hesitantly flicked his hand, as you would do a pen. For a moment, nothing happened and his eyes seemed to sink, when a terrible crack sounded and the desk split in two.

"Oh, oh dear," Mr Ollivander frowned, snatching the wand away and fixing his desk with his own.

"Try this then, boy" he urged, taking a light wand that a silky emerald bed of velvet and passing it to him, "It's a bit less brittle."

Looking apprehensively, he swished the new wand and this time an instant flash of bright green exploded from the end of the wand, filling the dark room with colour. Hermione's mum cried out in surprise, and Lily clapped enthusiastically, happy her friend had found his match.

"Ah, Birch and Unicorn Hair, 13 inches. Not the strongest of wands, but delightfully springy!" he beamed, clamping the box shut and handing it to the amazed boy, "Particularly good combination for a Slytherin, my lad. It'll be 5 galleons, Eileen."

She handed over the money and grasped Severus' shoulder, pulling him toward Hermione's mum.

"Can I go next Mione?" Lily whispered, letting go of her hand and turning to face her twin, a glimmer of pleading shining in her jade orbs.

"'Course!" she replied, her excitement growing at the thought of owning her own wand.

_'If I have a wand, I'm definitely magical...' _she thought, biting her lip in yearning as she watched the magical tape measure travel along her twin's lean body.

"Hm, very good, very good," the elderly shopkeeper muttered, heading into the cavern of boxes. Lily, like Severus before, looked like Christmas had come early as she waited impatiently, tapping her finger's on the man's desk. Hermione's mum, unlike Twiggy, grinned at her daughter's excitement, then turned back to Severus, who was chatting incessantly to her about his new wand - most probably because his mother had turned away.

"Give this a whirl, my dear," Mr Ollivander said, passing over a fat, ugly stick that didn't appeal to Hermione at all. She watched closely as her sister clasped her long, thin fingers around the short, stubby wand, which looked ever so out of place in the hands of such a pretty little girl.

"Walnut and Unicorn Hair, 6 inches. A particularly lackadaisical wand, perhaps a bad choice, but we'll soon find out," he laughed, happy to be finding a new generation of witches and wizards the instruments which would lead them to greatness.

The horrible wand had not been successful, and the girl struggled through four wands, until finally, Lily wrapped her fingers around a 12 1/4 inch willow and unicorn hair, causing beautiful silver sparks to erupt from the tip. Holly cried out in happiness for her daughter, and Severus clapped enthusiastically as well, visibly relieved his friend was, in fact, a witch. Hermione caught the look of pure joy on her sister's face as she swished her wand again, conjuring another burst of colour, this time ruby red.

"Ah, a wonderfully loving wand. Undoubtedly swishy, my dear, you have an obvious affinity for charms work."

"Thank you, sir!"

"No problem, it was my pleasure. Now, who would you be?" he questioned, turning his head to Hermione who had all of a sudden become very nervous.

"Hermione, sir," she muttered, stepping slowly toward the desk.

"Well, dear. I just need to measure a few bits, and then we'll get you sorted out with your very own wand!" he smiled down at the shy girl who usually wasn't so shy.

"Thank you, sir."

"If you could give me the arm you write with, please dear."

She held her left arm up and the man begun his measuring. Fingertip to elbow and then on to her shoulder, Hermione squirmed at the strange feeling of the tape tracing her every contour: from her chin to toes, ear to ear, and nose to knees. A moment later he was walking off to the many shelves piled with boxes upon boxes. What felt like centuries later, he returned with a small selection of dusty boxes which Hermione had watched him retrieve from the lowest and highest shelves she could see.

He handed a her a long, spindly wand from a royal blue box. She felt the strange wood in her hands, heavy and uncomfortable; it had an aura of coldness and unfeeling, but still felt intelligent, as if it were waiting for a scholar or scientist to swish and flick it.

"Maple and Dragon Heartstring, 16 inches. Quite whippy, definitely a fast learner, but callous and riotous if you're not it's true master. Give it a try," he said, watching warily for any signs of danger.

Hermione stared at the 'whippy' wand, wondering whether this would be her's forever. It looked twiggy and ill-tempered, like Petunia whenever she saw the twins. It seemed to call to her, begging her to learn and discover, to never falter in the face of pathetic emotions or wait for petty idiots to catch up with her intellect. Hermione wasn't sure what to do with the feeling, but the conflict it was stirring in her heart and mind lead her to just jolt her quivering wrist, consequences be damned.

For a moment, nothing changed. The wand had stopped calling to Hermione, so she assumed it was not for her, and was glad nothing bad had happened.

_'I guess I'm less destructive that Severus' _she sighed, letting the hand that clenched the wand down gracefully. But unfortunately, this was not the case. A dull crack was heard and the group turned to face the noise. In the middle of the shop's display window was a fracture around the size of the wand Hermione was holding. The rupture grew, spreading out on the glass like a spider's web, each intricate fissure leading to another. It expanded, creaking and cracking as the situation worsened. With cold fear, Hermione knew it was only a matter of time before the whole display shattered - either out onto the street, or into the shop.

The unimaginably loud warning came seconds too late to the patrons walking the street outside as both windows detonated, sending millions of tiny, lethal shards towards each witch, wizard and child who were too shocked to do anything.

Hermione stood, the poisonous weapon still clutched in her trembling hand as she watched in horror at the scene. Parents hurriedly checking their children for damage, elderly wizards staring at her in shock and confusion, wands flicking around as people all shouted the same words. The sight was hidden once again, though, as Twiggy conjured another thick blurred glass for the window frames.

The wand was snatched by Mr Ollivander, who was uttering words she could not hear and she stood dumbfounded, trying to grasp the situation.

"Dear, don't worry. That happen's at least once a decade," the shopkeeper placated, patting her on the shoulder, having safely tucked away the destructive wand, "Now, this one is a lot less violent. Yes, Rosewood and Unicorn Hair, 9 inches. Perfect for the pure of heart and beautiful, very floral. You could master any household spell with this girl," he nodded, handing it over to a reluctant Hermione, who was still throughly shaken from the earlier incident.

She weighed this one again in her hand, but this time it felt different, feeble and weak-minded, like anyone could just snatch it off her. It had no fight, no passion. She swished it gently in accordance with it's personal style, but failed to conjure more than a dish cloth. Again, the wand was taken from her by a muttering Ollivander, who seemed to get more excited the longer it took to find her wand.

Again and again, Ollivander snatched a wand away only to replace it with another, but after nine attempts, a wand still hadn't chosen her. They had gotten through the stack of boxes he had first compiled for her, when she sighed frustratedly.

"Don't fret dear, the perfect match will be somewhere in here," he reassured, though he didn't seem to convinced himself.

"Maybe it's a mistake and I'm not really magical," said Hermione, a devastated gleam in her eyes. Hermione saw Lily and Severus frown at this remark, and her mother look at her sympathetically, but that did nothing to improve her mood.

"No no, you are most certainly magical, my dear, you see the problem is you have several different types of power in your magic, and they have waged war in your heart. We need to find you a wand that will accommodate the peculiarity of your magic and help it grow," Mr. Ollivander said, emerging from behind a shelf, "Vine and Phoenix Feather, 10 1/3 inch," he added, holding out the wand for Hermione to take.

Her stomach was doing flip-flops as she wrapped her fingers daintily around the stunning wand and lifted it. She knew, almost immediately, that this wand had chosen her; the warmth spread from her fingertips to her shoulder then right through her body. Instinctively, she raised it until the tip was in her eyesight, then brought it swishing down, expelling the refreshing and homely feelings that the wood had provoked. Vibrant gold and red sparks shot from the tip, illuminating the dim, dusty shop for a few moments, and Hermione squealed at the feeling of finding a wand which accepted her magic.

"Congratulations, Miss Evans, I hope your wand serves you well," Mr Ollivander grinned, passing the box over to her mother, "Do be careful with it though; it should bring you great things if you use it wisely. Very powerful, is that wand, makes learning almost facile, but it tends to take on a mind of it's own if ever is so desires, so watch out for that. The girls' wands will be 14 galleons all together then, thank you."

Mrs Evans handed over the money, thanked the elderly man and ushered her girls out of the shop to follow Eileen.

"Do you like my wand, I think it's really pretty, and it's tall like me!" Lily gushed, passing the wood over to Hermione. It was straight, just like her sister's hair, and had a feeling of protectiveness surrounding it.

"It's great Lils,"

"Yeah, well I heard Mrs Snape talking and we're going to that magical mangery place that sells pets!"

"Wow, like magical pets?"

"Yeah, Sev said there's owls, snakes, rats, toads and all sorts!"

"Groovy, I wonder whether mum'll let is get one?"

"I don't know, she might not want us to, you know, cause of Tuney..." Lily trailed off, letting the conversation hang as they stepped into the last shop of the day.

The place was cramped, noisy and fetid, every inch of space filled by a cage. Hermione spun on the spot, her senses invaded by the putrid mix of animal food, droppings and dirty cages. It seemed to sell all kinds of animals, and each label boasted a strange and unique quality for every pet: poisonous orange snails, the giant, jewel-encrusted tortoise, sleek, black rats immune to infection, owl, ravens, cats of every colour, shape and size, a Puffskein - whatever that was, a transforming rabbit and many more. Immediately repelled by the scurrying creatures that scraped at their prison, Hermione turned her back to the wall of rodents and reptiles; she always had been a mammal sort of girl.

"Look over there, Mione," said Lily, pointing towards the counter of the dim shop, "you've always wanted a kitten."

The twins and Severus made there way over to the corner of the room, where a bespectacled witch was showing a man and a child the new kittens. Hermione could hear mewing from where she stood, so she walked up to the metal bars.

"Have you met anyone who'll be in our year yet?" Severus asked as they walked towards the giant, box-like cage full of babies. The top was open, leaving space for the other customers to peer down into the box, and Hermione saw there were only two left. The cage cast shadows over them, and they were hard to see.

"No, just that nice man from the robe shop," Lily replied, stroking the soft white fur of an owl through the bars of it's cage.

"I did. There was this boy called Remus and another annoying boy, but he didn't say his name. They looked around our age."

"Really? I can't wait to go to Hogwarts!" Severus sighed, "I really want to be in Slytherin, that's where the wand maker said I should be. You'll come with me, won't you?"

"We'll try, Sev, but I though you said that houses were a very personal thing?"

"Yeah, but I bet you could ask to be sorted with me."

"We'll try." Lily stated, ending the awkward discussion.

Hermione startled when a loud yelp was heard. She turned her attention back to the kitten box where one of the cats from below was hissing and jumping, and the man who has seemingly tried to grab the kitten was clutching his wrist in pain. Three bloody scratches that had been trailed down the back of his hand were bleeding lightly, and Hermione knew that he must've aggravated the poor creature.

"Bloody menace!" he roared, grabbing his son's hand and storming out of the shop.

Hermione, who could see the poor kitten's distress, leant into the cage and grabbed it, stroking the soft fur of the little baby which fit snuggly in her arms. It was an orange, fluffy tuft of fur, no more than three months old. His face looked squashed, like he had run headlong into a brick wall, and he had a bottlebrush tail, bandy little legs, and amber-y yellow eyes. His squashed face endeared Hermione to him even more, and she walked gently - so as not to disturb him - over to the black-haired woman behind the counter, whose glasses had fallen to the tip of her nose.

"How much is this little man?" she asked, cooing at the affectionate kitten as he begun to purr in her arms.

"Miss, I wouldn't advice buying him, he's been here two months now and he's attacked everyone he's met. No one wants him..."

"Well, I do. Does he have a name?"

"We've started to call him Crookshanks."

"And how much is he?"

"To get rid of him? 10 Sickles."

"I'll take him."

Lily showed Hermione the owl she had decided to buy, and called her mother over to see them both. Having seen the flat-faced kitten in her daughter's hands, Holly proclaimed it was perfect for her and quickly paid for the kitten, along with her twin's owl and cages for both creatures.

"I think we're going to be just fine at Hogwarts," Hermione told her pet, kissing him soundly and placing him in his carrier before making her way back down the cobbled street of Diagon Alley to the Leaky Cauldron, where Twiggy tapped the bricks again, walked them straight through the dingy pub and out onto the dank and shadowy streets of London.

_'One more week,'_ Hermione thought as they made their way back to the train station, hands now laden with equipment for the new school year.

Her new life as a witch had officially begun, but all she could do till then was dream, dream of magic.

* * *

**Okay Puddings, **

**I hope you liked it! Review please in the little box which says review and hopefully return when the next instalment (The train ride and maybe a tad more) arrives. **

**To my Guest reviewer: In little old England, there is a strange division called the north/south divide. In the north, people are perhaps considered more working class, and down south everyone is apparently posh and rude. I live in the Midlands - the middle of the country - so I have a tidbit of both. I don't know about America, but posh people in England tend to draw out their words a bit more and mould them together, whereas northerners are more bitty. Hope that explains it... (:**

**Tank Ou for Reading,**

**Emmy. x**


	5. Chapter 5: To Add Injury To Insults

**Hello again my lovelies! **

**I have written you more words! This chapter contains lots of insults and injuries, hence the name, so I hope you enjoy!**

**Lots of Love **

**Emmy. x**

* * *

"I HATE THEM ALL!" Petunia Evans screeched to the top of her voice, forcing her whole body forward and sending her tightly clenched fist flying in the direction of three cowering eleven-year-olds.

"No, you don't" her mother soothed, trying - and failing - to reach her daughter.

"I DO! They went through my stuff!"

"That doesn't mean you hate them Petunia. Now give back Hermione's wand."

"NEVER!"

"Why Tuney? It's not hurting you!" Lily cried from beside her twin, who was in tears.

About five minutes earlier, Petunia had discovered the three sitting in her room, reading a reply from Dumbledore to Hermione's letter. She'd snatched it from her sister's hand and after she'd read it, an all out war had ensued.

"BECAUSE YOU'RE A FREAK. A GORMLESS, CHAVVY BALMPOT WHO THINKS YOU FREAKS ARE ALL THE RAGE BUT REALLY YOU'RE JUST A PONCEY TOSSER WHO'S SO UP HERSELF THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE WHAT AN IDIOT SHE IS NOW THAT SHE'S FOUND OUT SHE CAN DO THINGS WITH A **_TWIG_**!"

"My wand is not a twig, Nia, it's very important to me! And you're the one being horrid just because you aren't coming with us to Hogwarts!" Hermione countered, rubbing her sore eyes as she stood to face her sister.

"I don't want to go to that freak show!" she denied vehemently, grasping the wand with both hands, as if to break it, and snarling as Hermione's sobs started again at the thought of loosing her wand.

"You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the Headmaster and begged him to take you!" Lily chimed in, standing next to her twin who was downright sobbing from the harsh words.

"Beg? I didn't beg!"

"We saw his reply. It was very kind."

"You should never of seen it, and she," Petunia stressed, arm flailing wildly in the general direction of the youngest Evans, "should never have sent a thank you! It was private!"

"She was just doing what you would never of done! BEING NICE! You're a hideous, despicable idiot who can't accept that she's just a MUGGLE!" Lily sneered, grabbing her sister's hand and storming out of the room, Severus trailing along with them.

"I CAN'T WAIT TILL YOU'RE GONE!" the muffled voice bellowed.

And as the door slammed with an ominous bang, Hermione's clouded mind couldn't help but notice, that nothing could be the same again.

* * *

_Hermione Evans,  
The Attic Room,  
__37 Halfpenny Lane,  
__Preston,  
__Lancashire,  
__PR3 2OL_

Dear Miss Hermione Evans,

I do sincerely apologise for the lateness with which this letter finds you; the gratitude you expressed regarding the request your sister, Petunia, sent to Hogwarts was much appreciated. I assure you, it was no trouble at all, although she did manage to pull on my heartstrings a tad. I must admit, we generally find students with non-magical parents to be the single child in their household, therefore this situation of sibling rivalry is quite unfamiliar and confusing for myself. Though you say another person may not have bothered penning a reply, I find that common curtesy applies here, even if the situation is most awkward. I am much obliged that you penned the letter you did, and if you wish it, I would much enjoy continuing the correspondence. You see, the instantaneous nature of magical communication these days has seen the pattering decline of formal letter writing, and it is a favourite pastime of mine.

I look forward to welcoming both you and your sister Lily to the Hogwarts community, and will seek you out as soon as I am able; the first day of lessons are quite hectic, so I shall make it a Wednesday. I'm quite intrigued by your kind and helpful-seeming nature, and I wish to put a face to a name.

May beautiful evenings fall your way,

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore  
Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

* * *

Hermione grimaced as her thoughts drifted to the handsomely penned letter which had caused such a fuss. It sat, squished and crumpled, in her large leather trunk; buried underneath a massive mound of anything and everything she could need in the year at Hogwarts. It had an old, musky scent, which only ancient leather could achieve, but that was no comfort to her has she proceeded to pull it in the most unladylike manner possible, lugging it in the direction of platform 8.

"You're gonna be amazed when you see the platform," Severus gushed from behind her, making Hermione laugh.

"You've said that a million times, Sev!" she smiled.

"He's right though Mione, we've not seen much - ugh - magic," Lily grunted, pulling her own heavy trunk slowly along the smooth floor.

"What number did you say it was, Sev?" she asked, coming to a stop and looking up at the swinging iron signs marked 9 and 10.

"It's 9¾," he said, his trolly full of luggage coming to a halt as he turned an waited for their parents.

"What?" Hermione asked, her face scrunching in confusion.

"He said 9¾, Sweet," her mum told her, as their parents and a reluctant Petunia finally caught up, each adult carrying an animal cage, "It-"

"Mrs Snape has been explaining why the station is in Kings Cross and how you get to it!" her father interrupted excitedly, making his wife smile placatingly and Petunia roll her eyes in disgust.

"But there is no station called that, only nine and ten!" said Lily.

"There's a special way to get there, Lily dear. The wizards in their government decided long ago-"

"Mr Evans, we shall be late," Severus pointed out, indicating to the grand ticking clock that showed a time of 10:41.

"Severus shall go first, along with your young witches, and then I shall take you all along with me," Twiggy ordered to the other parents, then pushing her reluctant son forward. He, unfortunately, wasn't expecting that and toppled over, pulling his bag down on top of himself with a loud,

"**Oof**!"

"Oh Severus!" both Lily and Hermione cried, rushing over to their friend, who was now sprawled out on the tiled floor. Hermione tried to lift his bag off him, but the momentum of her pull and the weight of the bag sent her toppling backward, straight through the wall behind her and into another world.

"Hermione!"

The cry from Severus pulled her out of her surprise and she stood up quickly, nearly tripping - again - over the black suitcase that she'd released when she hit the floor.

"Hey Mione," he chuckled, having realised she wasn't hurt. Lily was standing next to him, stifling giggles.

"Idiot." Petunia scoffed.

"Are you okay, Sweet?" her mother asked.

"Fine, fine," she answered distractedly as she peered around the platform.

A bright crimson sign hung from the ceiling, proudly proclaiming in golden text that 9¾ had only one destination on that morning: Hogwarts.

A scarlet steam engine was blowing smoke next to the crowded platform, full of children and parents who were laughing, crying and all things in between. All of a sudden, Hermione felt very small and fragile, her eyes travelling down the long body of the train and her mind dreaming of those long months with out her parents, with out her home and, dare say it, without Nia.

Her parents and sisters had started to make their way along, and were standing quite a distance away, taking in the platform with an air of whole-hearted enjoyment. Severus, who had followed along with the other, was standing by his mother, saying his goodbyes. Neither looked too sad to be saying their farewells, but Hermione knew, in some manner, both would feel some form of grievance, even if it was of a domestic nature. She walked leisurely to catch up, her mind scrambling to remember every detail it could.

"Dear, the train will be leaving in a minute or two," her father told her gently, placing his warm hand on her shoulder as she watched Lily hug her mum, "I think it's time we say our goodbyes."

Before she could say another word, she was swept up in a tight embrace; the sweet incense of freshly baked biscuits and home surrounded her.

"Goodbye my darlings, I love you," her mother cried, releasing Hermione and grabbing her twin, "You will come home safely, okay?"

"Of course mother," the two recited, knowing any other answer would be wrong.

"Say goodbye to your sisters, Petunia."

"Goodbye," she whispered. Hermione could tell that her eyes had filled with tears, but it seemed stubbornness had won out and Petunia would not make the first move.

"Goodbye Nia," Hermione said, tentatively stepping toward her and wrapping an arm around her waist, "I'll miss you."

She did not reply, but the squeeze of their connected arms was enough for her.

A loud whistle blew, signalling the three this was their last chance to say goodbye. Hermione raced over to her father, who had just taken their trunks to storage, and jumped up, clinging tightly to the man she admired so much.

"I love you daddy," she whispered before he put her down.

"I love you too blossom. Now I shan't say goodbye because we both shall see each other again. So I'll see you soon, dear. Remember to have fun, keep safe, eat your greens, write home as much as possible, and you'll be fine. Crookshanks needs to come with you on the train, so grab him before you go." he spieled, kissing her on the forehead and pointing her to the animal cage which contained her fluffy ginger kitten.

She scooped up the carrier and followed Severus, waving one last goodbye with her free hand and blowing a kiss to her parents who stood on the platform now full of adults, before boarding the train with mixed emotions.

* * *

The three battled what felt like millions of students as they searched for an empty compartment, Hermione behind the two as she struggled with both the fast pace and the heavy cat cage. There seemed to be students everywhere, filling the sitting areas, the corridor and the spaced in between. Crookshanks was crying as she jerked his box about to keep up with the other two.

The train gave a loud whistle that rung though Hermione's ears as they begun to move. The sudden movement made the three jolt, Hermione barley managing to hold onto Crooks.

After they'd passed ten full carriages, the exhaustion was to much for her; her breath had quickened, as had her pulse, and the heat of the enclosed space was making her sweaty and dizzy. She placed Crookshanks' cage on the floor and leaned on the nearest wall, not noticing that her hand was pushing down on a handle.

As soon as the lock clicked, her weight flung the door open, leaving her lounging on empty space. Her arms flailed wildly, grabbing at thin air as she fell backward onto the hard floor of the compartment.

"Wooah!" a voice barked as he landed on Hermione.

"Hello," she said, apologetic emerald eyes staring into hazel orbs of the boy with wonky glasses who lay on top of her, an awkward smile on her face.

"Great entrance, love!" another boy laughed, snapping the blond out of his confusion. The boy jumped up from above her, smoothing the wrinkles out of his trousers and stepping out of her line of sight.

Hermione - who was still quite exhausted and hadn't really realised what she's done - just glared up in the general direction of the voice, covering her face with her arms in embarrassment.

"You just going to lie there?"

"I'll get up when I'm less mortified."

"Alright, but I want your name afterward," the boyish voice chuckled, making Hermione force her head further into arms.

"'Kay."

Around three seconds later, someone knocked Hermione's toe, making her sit up.

"Lils?" she asked bewildered, staring into familiar green orbs.

"Mione, what the bloody hell are you doing?"

"Nothing," she sighed, "Where's Severus?"

"He's waiting in the compartment we've found, there's only four people in there, so we should be able to squeeze in."

"Oh, shall we go then?" she said, standing up and brushing off invisible lint from her pretty purple dress.

"If you want, you can sit with us."

Both twins turned to see two boys, one grinning at Hermione and the other red-faced. Both had raven-black hair, but you could tell they were different in every other aspect.

"I mean, there's only us in here. We could easily fit you three in as well."

"That's very kind, but I think we should go an meet Severus," Hermione said, grabbing Crookshanks' cage as she reached the door.

"Mione, it makes sense. You stay here, I'll go and get Sev," Lily interrupted, placing her hand on Hermione's arm and pulling gently.

"But-"

"I won't be a minute."

"Okay," Hermione sighed.

Lily closed the port-like door to the carriage, her footsteps faint in the silence. Hermione sat tentatively on the red seat across from the pair and pulled her cat's cage onto her lap. The awkward silence was broken by the grinning boy, who Hermione couldn't help but feel was familiar.

"You can let your cat out, you know," he told her, nodding his head over to the carrier.

"Yeah, we're not allergic and you're gonna be here for a while," the other boy said, "I bet it wants to move about."

Hermione noticed his face had gone back to what she assumed was his regular shade of peach as she looked over to him and smiled, letting them know she was grateful without having to speak.

She wanted to speak to her kitten - who she was sure could understand -, but she didn't want to come off as mental before she'd even introduced herself.

_"I don't want a Petunia situation here..."_ she thought as she poked her slim finger through the grates of the carrier, barely reaching her kitten's fur.

Crookshanks clawed at the cage impatiently as she turned the lock. He pushed the metal door and clambered onto his wobbly legs to step out onto her lap, where he promptly snuggled down to sleep again. She stroked his wild fur as she thought about anything, but she couldn't ignore the awkward silence that was occurring. She desperately wanted to speak to the boys, but she knew nothing of magic, and a niggling voice in her head mocked every idea of conversation she had.

"Hey! I know you!" the raven-haired boy exclaimed, breaking the silence as he pushed his overgrown fringe out of his eyes to uncover his widened eyes, "You're that girl who fell on Remus!"

"Remus?" she asked confusedly, absently stroking Crooks who was confused by the outburst.

"Yeah, the boy from the bookshop. His name was Remus."

Hermione thought for a moment about what the boy could of been talking about. It couldn't be back in their village; she only ever went to the library.

"_Diagonally. Of course! How stupid of you to forget, Hermione," _she scolded, thought of the event flooding her mind.

"You're the boy who made fun of us!" she exclaimed, abandoning her pet to point an accusatory finger in the boy's face. He, however, didn't seem concerned and had the same irritating grin on his face. He looked ready to reply, but he was interrupted by the door opening, revealing a happy-looking Severus.

"Mione, what's wrong?" Severus asked, his smile fading as he saw the strange situation.

"Nothing," she placated, not wanting to make a fuss or erase that rare grin, "Sev, this is..."

"I'm James," the boy with glasses told him. Severus nodded to James and looked over to Hermione, who was still riled.

"This is Sirius," James introduced, nodding to his friend.

"Hi, I'm Severus Snape. These are my friends," he said, taking a seat opposite the two boys and pulling Hermione to sit next to him, "thanks for letting us sit here, it would of been a squeeze in that other carriage."

"No problem," James smiled cheekily, covering his mouth jokingly as if it blocked Sirius' hearing and whispering, "I need some new friends, actually. This bloke's an idiot!"

Severus and James laughed together, whilst Sirius winked at Hermione, who was sulking as she sunk further into her seat.

"Hey, I'm Lily," Hermione's twin told them as she entered, waving to the boys and sitting by her sister. The two boys looked from Hermione to Lily and back again, making the girls quite confused. Hermione was about to ask what was wrong, when James spoke.

"Are you two related?" he asked, leaning forward in his seat.

"Cousins, perhaps?" Sirius added, doing the opposite of his friend and leaning on the window sill, just as Hermione was doing.

"We're twins, actually. We met Severus when we were ten and we've been best friends for forever!" Lily smiled excitedly, "How long have you two known each other?"

"Oh, we met about 10 minutes ago but it feels like we've known each other forever too!" Sirius gushed mockingly, earning a glare from Hermione and Severus, a frown from an offended Lily and a chuckle from his apparently new friend.

"Yeah, we only just met."

"So, what do you know about Hogwarts?" Lily asked.

"Well, my parents went there when they were younger. They were in Slytherin and they say that's the only place without mudbloods," Sirius started, frowning as if remembering something bad, "but I don't think muggles are scum, like them. They're just stupid."

Hermione was confused about the language the boy was using, and it seemed to have made the other two boys in the carriage tense, but Lily looked as confused as her.

She had heard Twiggy call her and her sister muggleborns, but she never really found out more than what she'd told them:

"You are a muggleborn because your parents are non magical."

Afterwards, Severus had refused to tell the twins anything more about the subject. They had begged for him to say something, like why their was a special name when they asked, but he was stubborn and he didn't say a word, nor had he told her wether their were other types of witch and wizard. The whole subject had seemed quite suspicious at the time, but the build-up of excitement for the day they went to Hogwarts had easily pushed it out of her mind.

"You shouldn't use those words, Sirius, they're foul, and you can get in serious trouble for saying that at school. People are always talking about it when we go to parties, but my mum says not to listen to them, 'cause the only people who believe that stuck-up rubbish are gits who have no sense," James claimed vehemently.

"Sounds just like my parents, then."

Hermione couldn't hold in her curiosity for any longer, especially as the subject got more and more intriguing. All three of the boys looked uncomfortable talking about it, but she figured it was best not to go to Hogwarts without knowing anything.

"Excuse me, but what are muggles, and... what was it you called them?" she asked, not noticing their jaws almost drop as she struggled to remember the word.

"Mudbloods, Mione," Lily interjected helpfully.

"Yeah, mudbloods, that was it," she said, "Are they a type of monster? They don't sound too nice, if I'm honest, I hope we don't have to meet them."

"No, Mione, they're not monsters," Severus whispered sadly, putting a comforting arm on her leg, much to her confusion.

"How do you not know?" James asked bluntly, looking at her as if she had grown a fourth head, "Muggles are humans, you know, people without magic."

"Mudbloods, or muggleborns as their sometimes know," Sirius said, "are magical people born from two muggles. People who aren't born from magical families. They're not monsters."

"But that means..." Hermione trailed off, looking over to Severus in confusion.

"James and Severus have a long and prominent magical ancestry. Their parents, grandparents and everyone else before was born with magic and from magic. My mother comes from one of those families, but because she married a muggle - something the family did not approve of - she was blasted from the family tapestry."

"So what are you then? If you aren't a muggleborn or a," she faltered, not knowing the word.

"A pureblood. I'm a half-blood, because half my bloodline is magical and half is muggle," he told her, lowering his head at the curious looks from the other boys.

"What if you don't have magic, but you were from James' family?" Lily asked.

"You're a squib," Sirius told her, "I've got a few of those in the family, but we don't speak about them."

"Why?"

"Why do you think? My family motto is "Toujour Pur", for merlin sake, if you can't do magic even after being born to the oldest and purest magical families in Britain, you've got to be pretty pathetic."

"But it wouldn't be there fault, would it?" she continued confusedly, "I thought magic was like evolution, you know, natural selection and all that?"

"Wait, your motto is "Always Pure"? What's so pure about you all?" Hermione interjected.

"We've only ever married other purebloods. That's the point of the name, that we've not got the blood of muggles in us, not one drop. Mum says anything's worth sacrificing to remain pure, even if that means marrying siblings," Sirius told her, shuddering at the thought, "They've blasted many a witch or wizard of our family tapestry for associating with muggles. My uncle Alphard says it's a load of tosh, though."

"So because our parents are muggles, we're not as good as you three?" Lily asked, folding her arms as her face set in a scowl. Hermione realised she was just irritated by the unfair sounding situation.

"And because he's got a muggle parent, you two are better than him?" she added, pointing to Severus.

"Apparently so, though not everyone believes it," James told the twins placatingly.

"What if I'm better at magic than you?" Hermione asked rudely, crossing her arms in front of her chest to mirror her sister.

"That's fine with us, love, we don't believe it. Just don't end up in Slytherin."

"Why? That's where Severus said we should be," she informed him, "He says it's the best house."

"Not for a muggleborn, it isn't. They'll skin you alive," Sirius laughed, making her frown deepen as she though of their earlier conversation, "They're ambitious and clever, but I'll be damned if I ever see one go out of their way for someone other than themselves. They're selfish bastards, rotten each and every one of them. My whole family is from Slytherin, so I'll probably end up there, considering, even though I'd be happy with anything but."

"I highly doubt you'll get anywhere near Slytherin," Hermione told him confidently, her frown turning to form a wicked grin on her dainty face.

"Why?" Sirius asked, looking up at her in confusion.

"Well you said they were ambitious and clever, but with that attitude you're seem to be setting out to prove the opposite," she laughed, garnering a chuckle out of the others as well. She smiled at him to show she was joking, but he was having none of it.

"I'm going to be in Gryffindor!" James exclaimed, bouncing excitedly on his seat and making Hermione laugh.

"What does that house stand for?" Lily asked cheerily, missing the scowl that now sat on Severus' face.

"Gryffindor is where dwell the brave at heart!" he proclaimed loudly, pressing his fist to his chest dramatically. Sirius, Lily and Hermione burst out laughing, but Severus only snorted loudly.

"You got a problem with that, Snape?" James demanded, the joking gone.

"No," he drawled in his old, sinister tone, the one he adopted when he felt threatened. Hermione and Lily knew this could get ugly, but all they could do was sit and watch.

"If you'd rather be brawny than brainy..." he trailed off, the implication clear. James looked furious, as did Sirius, and Hermione completely understood why. If Sirius' whole family was in Slytherin, James' was probably from Gryffindor. Severus had managed to insult an entire family with one quick jibe. Hermione looked over to Lily, but it seemed she was more concerned about Severus, so Hermione knew she wouldn't pick up on what he had done.

"Where do you plan to go, seeing as you're neither, eh?" Sirius bit, laughing cruelly at the boy along with James.

_"That's a bit much,"_ Hermione thought as she saw the dejected look on Sev's face, _"He looks truly upset."_

Hermione knew that Severus had been very nervous leaving Cokeworth, where everyone but the twins hated him, and coming to a new place, with hundreds more people to hate him. This was not the best start for his Hogwarts career.

He was naturally awkward around people, taking quite a while to warm up to her and her sister. His shyness and sensitivity, which almost endeared her to him even more, was hard to work around, and he was offended easily. Within the first hour of his Hogwarts experience, he had found potential friends, but then dashed his own hopes of any friendship with the boys. They seemed nice, but they were quite cruel when provoked, and that Sirius was very surly. Hermione wasn't sure about the boys now they had shown their true colours.

"That wasn't very nice," Lily told Sirius, patting Severus' leg in comfort.

"He started it!" James cried, pointing his finger at Severus.

"Yeah well you shouldn't-"

"HOLY MERLIN!" Sirius bellowed, jumping from his seat flinging his arm around like a madman, to which a ginger ball of fluff Hermione identified as her kitten was attached.

"Stop!" she cried. She stood up to catch the flailing appendage which looked to be dripping, but she he wouldn't let her near.

"Get off me, you bloody devil!" he roared, swinging wildly this way and that. This didn't help the situation, however, as little Crookshanks was now scared to death, and had dug his claws in further, so as not to be flung off.

"Calm down!" Hermione shouted, concern for her fluffy little buddy growing the more angry Sirius got, "You're gonna hurt him, you blooming great berk!"

She latched onto his arm, only managing to collect her kitten before he snatched it back, nursing it with his other hand.

"Oh you're such a wuss!" Hermione tutted, nodding her head to the offended arm, on which were three small marks and a trickle of blood. She cradled Crooks to her chest and stroked his head softly, "did the nasty boy scare you, mr puddy cat?"

"Scare him! That mangy monster nearly killed me!" he claimed, thrusting his arm in her face as if it proved the attack, "You saw it go after me, didn't you James!"

"Yeah," he supported, "you should get that cat put down before it murders something!"

That particular comment sparked Lily's fire, leading them to a giant argument. They both completely ignored Sirius and Hermione, who had given up rational thought and was now just insulting Sirius to keep up with his quick wit. The two were standing chest-to-chest, Hermione having put down Crooks.

"You're a gormless pillock!"

"And you're off your rocker!"

"I've lost it just talking to you!"

"Saying you've lost it implies you had it at one point!"

"Good people die young, so you've got nothing to worry about!"

"Do you need permission to be that ugly?"

"I don't know, maybe you should ask your mother?"

"You're so annoying!"

"Not annoying, smart. Not that you would know the difference."

"I would explain it to you, but I've run out of crayons!"

"To put it nicely, I hope you choke on something and die!"

"Oh well why don't you come over sometime, then? I could poison your tea!"

"How about never? Is never a good time for you?"

"Who left your cage open?"

"Yeah, that's right, just keep on talking. Maybe one day something intelligent might come out of that fat gob of yours!"

"Considering your face, I'd be careful who you mock!"

"You know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, don't you?"

"Well I try to cater for my audience!"

"**SHUT UP!**" Severus yelled, pulling them from their heated arguments. They were all red faced and breathing heavily, but Sirius - who was still quite riled up - was quick to reply.

"What's wrong Snivellus? Are you missing mummy?" he sneered, moving quickly away from Hermione as if she were vermin.

"He's just upset because no one wants to speak to him," James taunted mercilessly, hitting a nerve with Severus who had lowered his head.

"You really are a complete git!" Lily cried, grasping Severus' arm and pulling him out of the compartment with a loud bang.

"Going to fall over on your way out too?" James chuckled, nodding his head to the door. She glared daggers at the two of them as she collected Crooks' cage.

"Don't look into her eyes, she'll steal your soul," Sirius joked, their chuckles irritating her to no end.

"Hey Sirius," she said, pulling the door open and turning to face him.

"Yes, love?" he replied, his mood apparently improved.

"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings when I called you stupid. I genuinely thought you knew already," she smirked, and before he had a chance to protest, she slammed the door.

* * *

After leaving the cabin, Hermione tried to catch up with Lily and Severus, but they were already gone. After looking around through compartment doors for a long while, she gave up, deciding just to find a cabin with room.

She knocked on a random door and opened it slowly, peering around to see three girls, all wearing Hogwarts robes. They were all facing her and one was holding a toad.

"Hi, do you mind if I sit in here?" she asked, pushing the door open fully, "The other compartments are full.."

"That's fine!" a girl smiled, her mousy brown fringe falling to just above her hazel eyes.

"Thank you," Hermione sighed, taking a seat next to a gangly girl. She placed Crookshanks' cage on the floor, ignoring his cries to be let out; she didn't want another situation like before.

_"Although, that was entirely Sirius' fault," _she scoffed.

"My name's Sarah," a tanned girl told her, holding out her hand to shake, which Hermione did, "Sarah Cooke. This is Clara," she pointed to the leggy blonde she had sat next to, "and this is Mary," she said, gesturing to the brown-haired girl nearest the door.

"Hey, I'm Mary McDonald," Mary told her as she gave her a wave. There was a slight Irish accent lilting her low tone, matching the pale skin and ringlets which fell to her shoulders.

"Clarabeth Hobday, but my friends call me Clara," she smiled, pushing her golden locks out of her ice-blue eyes. Her hair was pin-straight just like Lily's, and the complete opposite of Hermione's burnished silken waves.

"My name's Hermione, Hermione Evans."

"Wow, that's even longer than my name!" Clara exclaimed, "That name's so original, how did your mother come up with it?"

"Me and my sisters are all names after her favourite flowers: my eldest sister is called Petunia, and my other sister is Lily," Hermione explained, happy to have struck up conversation.

"You have sisters? Are they going here as well?" Sarah asked.

"Petunia is not a witch, but Lily's my twin. We're going together."

"That's so nice; you'll have someone in your year you already know! I'm a muggleborn as well, so I had to leave my siblings at home," Sarah laughed, "I'm glad to be seeing the back of them, to be honest, they're a pain in the neck! All younger, though."

"I know what you mean," Mary told them, "As much as I love my parents, I'm an only child and they can be a bit overbearing."

"My brother Oakden finished at Hogwarts a few years ago, but he refuses to tell me anything. All he says is 'it's an adventure, Clara', which doesn't help in the slightest."

"Has he told you about the houses yet?" Sarah asked, absently plaiting her dark hair.

"Yeah, he said I'd make a good Ravenclaw," she told them.

"Why?" Mary asked, confusion clouding her face.

"Because apparently I'm too smart for my own good," she laughed.

"Well my friend Severus really wants me and my sister to go into Slytherin with him, but we're muggleborns."

"I think you'd make a good Gryffindor, Hermione," Mary chuckled, "So as to match your hair!"

"I don't know. I'll probably end up in Hufflepuff," she sighed, not looking forward to joining the 'boring' house.

"None of us will be in Hufflepuff," Clara declared firmly.

"Why not?" Sarah asked.

"We're all far too exciting of course!" she giggled, sending the girls into fits of laughter.

"I think you would like my sister," Hermione informed them after they'd calmed down.

"You must introduce us when we get to the castle," Sarah insisted, looking out the window at the passing scenery.

"This journey takes forever, doesn't it?" Mary sighed, bringing her wristwatch to check the time, "We've been on the train for at least two hours."

"I wonder where we're going..." Clara said, a comfortable silence settling as each girl thought of the mystical boarding school.

They talked for the rest of the journey about anything they could think of: home life, clothes, books, cassettes, Hogwarts, letters, birthdays and much more. Hermione sometimes lingered on thoughts of her sister and best friend, but something or other would always pull her back into the lively conversation. After an hour, the other girls advised her to change into her Hogwarts robes, so Hermione went to the bathroom and slipped into her skirt, shirt and robes.

Each girl had her own personality, quirks, and faults, but Hermione got on well with each, and she was sure her sister and Sev would as well. She hoped that she would join the same house as the girls, but it was highly unlikely.

"Even if we are in different houses, we can still hang out can't we?" she asked nervously as the train pulled into the station.

"Of course we can," Mary nodded, looking at the grey pave stone out the window.

"I want to meet your sister, Mione. She can chill with us," Sarah added, standing up with the others.

"Yeah, and that Severus boy," Mary added.

"Just, whatever you do," Clara started seriously, making all the girls look over to her, "don't end up in Hufflepuff!"

They all laughed, the joke helping to calm their nerves a little, before opening the door to their compartment. Outside in the corridor was a rush of children: some older, wanting to meet their friends and get to Hogwarts; some their age, stumbling around like blind mice, wanting to get to Hogwarts to make friends and learn magic. Hermione struggled to navigate her way to the door, her new friends following her out. Crookshanks was going mental in his box because he'd been bashed about a bit in the chaos, but there wasn't much she could do about that. When she reached the platform, she searched through the crowd for Lily and Severus, but she couldn't find them anywhere.

Suddenly, a booming voice broke her concentration and nearly jolted her heart out of her chest.

"**FIRST YEARS OVER 'ERE!**"

She watched as children dotted all throughout the flood of students weaved their way to the tremendously well-bearded man. She followed their example, making her way over as fast as she could, but losing her girls in the process.

"Oh Hermione, there you are! Where were you, we looked all over!" the familiar voice of her sister cried as she walked over to the giant man, "We went to the compartment next door, but you never showed up!

She turned to look at Lily, who looked very frazzled, her usually straight hair slightly static. She was obviously squeezing Severus' hand tightly as they made their way over, but she must have been cutting of his circulation slightly, because his hand was paler than usual.

He took a curious glance at her, "Where _did_ you go, Mione?"

"Lily, Severus! I looked everywhere but I couldn't find you. I'm so sorry for leaving you, but I did make some new friends," she said excitedly, looking around for the girls again, but remaining unsuccessful in the mob of ecstatic children, "They're really looking forward to meeting you!"

"**FIRST YEARS FOLLOW ME!**" shouted the man, turning his back on the throng of new students and striding away, his colossal legs taking one step for every five of Hermione's.

"Where are we going?" Lily questioned anxiously, looking back at the older students who were heading in the opposite direction.

"I don't know, Lils, but wherever we're going, we'll soon be at Hogwarts," she whispered, grasping her sister's free hand.

"I love you Severus," she told him as they got to a strange, dark dock, "and I love you Mione."

"I love you both too," Severus said.

"Me three," Hermione said, squeezing her sisters hand in comfort before requesting something of her sister.

"Never leave me, Lils."

"Never."

* * *

When all the students had gathered on the dock of a giant lake, they all looked toward the giant man who was looming above them.

"My name is Hagrid," he introduced, grinning happily at them all, "And I'm Hogwart's groundskeeper. You'll be taking the boats to Hogwarts, but don't fall in." He chuckled and pointed to the lake, where a collection of boats sat waiting for them, each holding a small lantern above it and a white bow.

"Okay, four to a boat! You three with me," he said, pointing to them.

Hagrid stepped into the middle boat and the three friends followed him. They each took a seat, and Hermione noticed that their boat was bigger than the others; this was probably to accommodate for Hagrid's size.

"My brother says their's a great whopping squid in this lake," a boy from to the left of them proclaimed loudly, making all the students turn to him in awe.

"My mum says there's merpeople too!" exclaimed a girl two boats to the right.

"What's a merperson?" another asked.

"They're like mermaids, but evil!" a boy shouted, garnering a chuckle from his friends at the terrified squeal the girl gave in reply.

"Merpeople! Bloody hell!" exclaimed a boy peering over the edge and into the dark murky waters. Hagrid reached over and pushed him back into his boat.

"Keep in the boat unless you want to feed the squid!"

The warning sent a hush over the first-years, and then the boats nudged their way off the shore. Hagrid, Hermione noticed, seemed to be doing nothing to aid the boats in their movement, nor were there paddles to push the students along.

The silence continued as they sailed over the lake, which was a deep black. She thought the dark colour of the lake would seem ominous and deathly, like the clothes she had worn for her great-grandmother's funeral, but instead, the inky body seemed tranquil and serene, as if reflecting the clouded sky above. There were no waves in the loch and the boats did not seem to disturb the water below them.

A chorus of gasps brought her attention from the murky depths and up to a magnificent sight. There, in the middle of a great expanse of water, stood an awe-inspiringly monumental castle with what seemed like a million towers and turrets. Every which way she looked, Hermione found something breathtaking to drink in and her mind could barely keep up with her eyes. Perhaps the most bewitching thing about the castle, was that at each slit-like window, a shining light twinkled, giving her a feeling of welcome and home.

The little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy which hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried slowly along a dark tunnel and the lanterns at the front of their boats exposed every crevice of the rock they passed. It seemed to Hermione that the tunnel was taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of under-ground harbour, where they clambered out onto the rocks.

"Follow me now." Hagrid told them.

The students followed him as he'd said. He lead them up a small staircase into the chilly september air. The journey up the weaving flights of stone felt even longer that the train journey and Hermione thought endlessly about the sorting. She had spotted the girls she'd met in the boat cave, but Lily looked like she was about to throw up, so she gave them a smile and a wave then grabbed her sisters hand.

The two had never really discussed what would happen if they were sorted into different houses, but she knew it weighed on both their minds often. Severus was adamant that they would all be together and in Slytherin, but after hearing more, she highly doubted she would get put in the house of snakes and purebloods. She truly hoped she would stay friends with Severus, but he was quite sensitive and she didn't think he could cope alone again.

"Do you think it's this pretty on the inside?" Lily asked her. Her sister was still staring at the great castle walls as they climbed higher and closer.

"I think it'll be prettier, Lils," she said, smiling at the thought of seeing more.

As they rose above the vast lake, she felt a tingle of magic grow in her chest - it was an unmistakable feeling of warmth and sunshine, and it contradicted the light drizzle that was falling over the group.

After centuries of stone steps, they reached a small room that just about housed the year group, which - should she hazard a guess - was around forty. Warmth filled the room as torches around the room were lit, and she could barely even make out the ceiling it was so high. A glimmering marble staircase faced them, leading god-knows where.

Overwhelmed by the absurdity of it all, Hermione's emotions went haywire. Fear, excitement, guilt, loneliness, love, anxiety & hope flooded her every nerve, fighting for dominance; they were all subdued though when a rakish and stern-looking woman walked over to them, the click of her heels echoing around the room.

"Follow me, students," a sour scottish accent demanded, evidently coming from the woman who was now walking speedily along the flagstone.

They passed a wide oak door, and she ignored the skip of her heart when a voice boomed from behind it.

Finally, they came to a stop. Hermione stood on the staircase, staring up at the enormous oak door as the scottish woman peered down at her.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said, "My name is Professor Mcgonagall and I am deputy headmistress at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry. As is tradition in our great school, our start of term feast will begin shortly, but unfortunately before we can begin, you must be sorted into your houses. While you remain at this school, your housemates will be somewhat like your family, your house a home away from home. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and eat with on your house's table."

This created a murmur of excitement within the student, though this was quickly silenced by a clap from the professor.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points which will be counted at the end of the year, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly," she declared, her eyebrows raising in warning before walking away.

Whispers broke out, spreading like flu as each student questioned their friends nervously.

"Hermione!"

She turned, still holding her sisters hand, to see Clara, Mary and Sarah, all beckoning her over.

"Come meet the girls," she said to Lily and Severus, dragging them toward her smiling friends. In her excitement, she completely ignored the person in her way, bumping straight past her.

"I'm so-" she cut herself off, seeing the face of the boy who'd made her furious earlier.

"Watch out, Evans. Wouldn't want you to trip again, would we?" Sirius jeered, brushing past her.

"Bugger off, Sirius," she scowled, striding past him, her sister and Severus following behind.

"Who was that?" Clara asked curiously.

"Sirius. He's a ruddy git, I wouldn't advise speaking to him."

"You know what they say Hermione," Mary teased, poking her friend in the ribs jokingly.

"What?"

"A boy only teases girls he likes!" she answered, making Hermione cringe at the thought.

_"As if I would ever go near that idiot."_

"Anyway," she said, turning to her sister and best friend, "This is Lily, my twin, and that's Severus."

"Hi," Lily said shyly, waving to them. Severus copied her but said nothing.

"My name's Clarabeth."

"I'm Sarah."

"Hi, I'm Mary."

"Hey Mione, do you think you'll be in the same house as Lily?"

"Students," the sharp voice of their professor called, ending the conversations, "the sorting ceremony is about to start. Form an orderly line and follow me. No speaking."

A hurried line was formed, Hermione, Lily and Severus being pushed somewhere to the back in the rush. The great wooden doors opened slowly, and Professor Mcgonagall made her way down the middle of the four tables, Hogwarts' new students following.

The first thing Hermione did when she got through the doors was look up - it was almost impossible not to. Thousands upon thousands of radiant candles hovered above her, shining like beacons in the cavernous room. The full moon glowed with it's stars, illuminating the hall further. From this make-shift sky, rain was falling lightly, just as it had done outside, but it simply disappeared before it touched her skin.

Abandoning the magnificent sight, she spun her head left and right, drinking in the sights: dark wooden tables seemed to stretch on for miles, covered in glittering cutlery and kitchenware; paintings and crests covered the walls, each sporting moving picture or two - Hermione had read about those.

The older students sat on matching benches, all looking patiently towards the front of the hall, where a marble table spread across the width of the hall. Hermione could tell that those were the teachers; they were all quite old, some portly, some gaunt, apart from one who looked around twenty.

Professor McGonagall led the line of first years up a final flight of stairs, lining them up to face the other students, with the teachers behind them. The students were all staring at them, and Hermione was shocked to see a few of the students were glowing silver, almost like ghosts.

Hermione still held Lily's hand comfortingly, though she had also grabbed Severus' for some support of her own. She felt a presence right behind her, and was tempted to turn around ignored it; she wouldn't be embarrassed on her very first day. She looked over as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of them, on which sat a pointed wizard's hat. It was frayed and patched up in places, quite frankly it looked like it had seen better days, but it was obviously important if it was to play a part in the sorting of a whole year group.

Though she could only see the back of the hat, she couldn't help but notice as it twitched, the folded end bending from left to right.

"On with the song, I suppose," a gravelly voice said, making the new students gasp in shock.

_Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_  
_But don't judge on what you see,_  
_I'll eat myself if you can find_  
_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_  
_Your top hats sleek and tall,_  
_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_  
_The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
_So try me on and I will tell you_  
_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
_Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_  
_Where they are just and loyal,_  
_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_  
_if you've a ready mind,_  
_Where those of wit and learning,_  
_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_  
_You'll make your real friends,_  
_Those cunning folks use any means_  
_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
_And don't get in a flap!_  
_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
_For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

All students started to clap, as did Professor Mcgonagall, though Hermione could not work out why. She did the same, though her applause was more due to the fact the hat could speak.

_"What a clever little thing," _she smiled, getting more excited and less confused by the minute.

When the applause ended, Professor McGonagall stepped in front of the first years, holding a scroll like piece of paper Hermione thought to be much to big for the small group of children.

"When I call your name," she said, peering over the paper to the students, "you will come to the stool and place the hat on your head."

"Avery, Antonius."

Hermione watched as a dark-haired boy stepped out of the line-up, settling himself comfortably before placing the hat on his head.

Seconds later, the brown hat called out, "Oh, definitely Slytherin!"

Students at the table decorated in green burst into applause, welcoming the boy with smirks and slaps on the back as he sat on their table.

"Belby, Clemencia."

This time, a plump, blonde girl step out from the end of the line. She walked past almost every student before reaching the stool, which she sat on quickly, shoving the hat on her head straight after. The hat took a bit longer to pick for

"Hm, I'd say, Hufflepuff!" the hat called. The girl pushed herself of the stool and made her way over to the table, where students were clapping heartily.

"Black, Sirius."

Hermione's excited smile dropped slightly as the git stalked up to the hat, arrogantly smirking at his friend James before placing it on his head.

"Interesting," the hat started, making the collected boy jump and Hermione giggle. Cringing at the looks from the entire hall and the glares from Professor Mcgonagall and Sirius, she covered her mouth.

"Gryffindor!" the hat shouted, making the students gasp. She looked over to the Slytherins, and several jaws had dropped in sheer suprise. A white blonde girl and boy were both staring in contempt at the git as he walked over to the red and gold table.

_"Must be because his family's in Slytherin," _she thought, looking over to where the Gryffindors were hesitantly clapping, confused looks on their faces.

The sorting continued, the professor calling the names of two Slytherins, another Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw before saying a name she recognised.

"Cooke, Sarah."

Hermione smiled as her friend walked nervously to the stool, taking a seat and gently placing the hat over her dark locks.

"Got to be... Ravenclaw!" the hat exclaimed.

Hermione clapped along with the Ravenclaws as she went to the table; she was happy her friend was in a good house.

More were sorted: a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor.

"Evans, Hermione."

Ignoring Lily's frantic squeezing, she looked over to the stern Professor, who indicated to the stool with her head. Prying Lily's fingers from her hand, she gave Severus a side-long glance, and he gave her rare smile that lifted her spirits. The walk to the stool was excruciating; she knew that hat held her entire life in it's cotton stitching, but there was nothing she could do. Sitting on the stool, she thought about the four houses.

_"Loyalty, bravery, intelligence and cunning,"_ she thought, placing the hat on her head.

_"Yes, but what do you posess?" _the gravelly voice of the sorting hat asked, the invasion of her mind making her squeal out loud.

_"I don't know..."_

_"You would do most well in Hufflepuff," _it told her, sending her eyes to the warm and friendly house, _"Ah, but you desire more. You desire greatness..." _

_"How do you know that?"_

_"I see what is inside your mind, child. Your thoughts, your dreams, your secrets. You are intriguing."_

_"Why?"_

_"It seems you possess the qualities of each of Hogwarts founders. It's nothing to worry about, I've had a handful of students just the same over the centuries, but when I find a mind like yours, it's nice to have a pick through before I hand you over."_

_"Pick?"_

_"Just a quick flick over the details. But as I said, don't fret. Now, where would you like to go?"_

_"Not to Hufflepuff. As much as I admire them, they're not the most exciting lot."_

_"I wouldn't underestimate a Hufflepuff, dear; they can get quite feisty given the right cause. But okay, no Hufflepuff. What are your thoughts on Slytherins?" _

_"I'm a muggleborn."_

_"Ah yes, that is a hinderance. You're a bright young girl, so how about Ravenclaw?" _

_"As long as I'm not stuck with Sirius."_

_"Oh, you don't want to join Mr Black in Gryffindor?"_

_"No, he's a pompous git!"_

_"Well, I can't argue with that."_

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat bellowed.

"What! You said Ravenclaw!"

"Dear, what we want is not always best for us..."

"Well what if it was!"

"You shall see..." it said mysteriously, leaving Hermione dumbfounded. She turned to walk to the red and gold table, only to see the students staring at her funnily and the teachers looking quite concerned.

"Are you alright, girl?" Professor Mcgonagall asked, examining her with her eyes and thoroughly unnerving her.

"Yes..." she trailed off confused.

"Why were you speaking to the hat after your sorting?"

Hermione's eyes widened in shock, looking back at the stool where the devious hat lay inanimate.

_"The cheeky bugger!" _she thought, remembering she'd taken the hat off to shout at it.

By now the Gryffindors had stopped clapping by now, unable to compete with the raucous laughter coming from every table. Hermione's cheeks flamed in humiliation as she answered her teacher.

"Well after we spoke he said I'd be in Ravenclaw, but then he changed his mind..." she explained, bowing her head and making her way slowly to her table. Her housemates were grinning at her as she sat down, unfortunately opposite a beaming Sirius Black.

"You know," he started, grabbing her attention from her sister's sorting, "that was hilarious."

"Don't you ever shut up?" she growled, turning away stubbornly and clapping as a loud cry of 'Gryffindor' was heard.

"You'd have to kill me," he chuckled.

"Trust me, when I _choose_ to kill you, it will occur before you can get another snarky remark about it out."

"It's hard not to forget that she's the good twin and you're the evil one," he said, nodding to Lily, who had just joined the table.

"Please, maniacal laughter is inappropriate and unbecoming."

"Do you even have a sense of humour?" he goaded as she half-listened to Remus Lupin get sorted into Gryffindor. They both clapped along with their table when he came to sit by Sirius, who clapped him on the back.

"Well?" he asked again.

"Of course I do," she said, shrugging her shoulders and turning to the front of the room, throwing the rest of her sentence nonchalantly over her shoulder, "For example, I'd laugh hysterically if you got run over."

* * *

**Yodalayiooooo! **

**Have I made you a bit happier? I hope so...**

**Next Chapter: First Year, Some Severus Action & The Mysterious Thing. (That is, if I write it, which I will!)**

**Lots of Love **

**Emmy. x**


	6. Chapter 6: Feel Free To Skip This

**Hello again,**

**Oh, first year. I think this is a bit of a filler chapter, but it does give you a feel for the characters and how they work. By the way, Sirius may come off as a git, but it does serve a higher purpose. I promise.**

**I hope you like it!**

**Emmy. x**

* * *

"Here you go Miss Evans," Professor Mcgonagall said, passing Hermione a piece of paper that looked strangely similar to a treasure map, "And for you Miss Evans."

"What's this?" she asked Mary, who had been sorted into Gryffindor along with the twins the night before.

"It's your class schedule, Minne," she told her. She knew Mary was ignoring the downturn of her friends lips when their new nickname was mentioned.

"I'm not a mouse," she huffed, looking over the paper that was sealed, the emblem of Hogwarts shining in blood-red ink, "Why's the paper so old, anyway?"

"Oh, that's a wizarding thing," Mary shrugged, grabbing a piece of bacon from the golden plate, "they call it parchment."

"Like in the medieval ages?" she said, looking around at the other tables in curiosity, where other students were also receiving their schedule.

"Yeah, I guess," Mary said.

"Hey, if we're in medieval times, does that make us chambermates? Or are we still dorm buddies?" Lily asked, making Mary giggle.

"I dunno," Hermione laughed, thinking of their massive four-poster beds.

_"They certainly belong in medieval times." _

The three had been the only girls to be sorted into Gryffindor, whereas the Gryffindor boys managed to fill two dorms. Clara had been sorted into Ravenclaw with Sarah, and she could see they were both snacking on the magnificent display of food that covered each table. Unfortunately for the Evans twins, their best friend had been sorted into Slytherin as he had hoped, and Hermione could only hope she would spend more time in lessons and outside of the classroom, knowing they would never see each other's common room and that houses separated friendships.

Gryffindor house, the twins had learnt, was just as bold as it students, always filled with raucous laughter and daring do-gooders. Her dorm was shared with her sister and friend which made the night easier, but she couldn't help but worry. Sirius and James were bullies, and they were in the same house as her. Did that make her a bully? She had dug quite hard into Sirius, but he deserved it. Her friends did not think of her a bully, nor did her sister or Severus.

"_I hope I've got some classes with them…"_ she thought, breaking the stamp and unfolding her parchment, which had another piece of paper inside it.

* * *

Miss Evans,

Classes at Hogwarts are an hour long, and you will be expected to attend all lessons listed below at the correct times. You will be paired with another house for each class, however you will remain with your own house at all times, unless instructed to do otherwise. It is important you remember that weekends are to be used for study and socialisation, not for miscreant behaviour.

Any truancy or misconduct will result in detainment; this will be done in your own time.

Do enjoy your stay here at Hogwarts,

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall  
Head of Gryffindor House

**Monday:**  
9.00am - 10.00am; _Potions, Professor Slughorn, Slytherin House_

10.00am - 11.00am; _Potions, Professor Slughorn, Slytherin House_

11.00am - 12.00pm; _Transfiguration, Professor Mcgonagall, Hufflepuff House_

12.00pm - 2.00pm; _Lunch, Great Hall, All Houses_

2.00pm - 3.00pm; _Charms, Professor Flitwick, Ravenclaw House_

3.00pm - 4.00pm; _Defence Against the Dark Arts, Professor Wood, Slytherin House_

* * *

Her plan continued like that, everyday starting at nine and ending at four, with a two hour break in the middle.

"At least we're with Severus in some classes," she told Lily, who was looking longingly at the decorated table, where Severus was sitting with the Edgecombe boy in their year. He didn't look to upset, but his eyes showed the hidden sadness Lily was expressively mirroring.

"Why would anyone want to see Snivellus at all?" James laughed as he sat by Mary, making Sirius who was walking with him laugh and two boys behind them nervously titter. She knew two of the gits insulting her friend, but the others were new to her.

"Shut up, James," Lily snarled.

"Evans, you look ravishing today," James said with a smug grin, making Lily's fume at his cavalier attitude.

"I'm quite tired this morning, so I'm finding it difficult to find a more interesting way to say I don't care," she scowled, biting into her toast to keep from speaking.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said, looking over at the shaggy-haired boy and another who looked like a rat, "Do you even know you Severus is?"

"James and Sirius told us all about him last night in our dorm, and these two mental twins that hang around with his," rat boy chuckled, throwing his grime-covered hand in her face, "Peter Pettigrew."

"I'm Remus, Remus Lupin," the other boy told her, smiling over the table.

"Oh hi," she told him with a smile, "You seem really nice Peter, we should meet up later."

"Really?" he asked, ignorant to the gobsmacked looks Lily, Mary, James and Sirius were giving her.

"Sure!" she exclaimed, polishing off the last of her breakfast and standing up, pulling a very confused Lily with her, blatantly ignoring the hand of the frowning Peter, "Anyway, it was so lovely to meet you both, but if we don't go, we'll be late for class."

Quick as a flash, she grabbed her bags and stalked off, Mary and twin in tow. There was a comfortable silence as the boys filled their plates, until Remus' head shot up in realisation.

"She was one of the twins, wasn't she?" Remus groaned, looking frustratedly at the now-smirking James and Sirius.

"Yep," James said, snatching a piece of toast.

"The other ginger one was her sister," Sirius added, chuckling at Peter's horrified expression.

"Hang on, why was she going to class now?" James asked, confused.

"She probably just wanted to get away from you idiots," Remus said, rolling his eyes at their antics.

"Yeah," an older student interjected, turning from his own conversation and laughing at the boys perplexed faces, "That and first year lessons started a minute ago."

"Oh bugger!"

* * *

Hermione's first two terms had flew by in a flurry of spells, potions and friendship, though there was a lot more to magic, as she quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a quick abracadabra_._

She, Lily and Severus had made quite the impression on their professors, showing both talent and determination for everything they tried. In fact, the only area where they didn't shine was flying, which all three of them had truly hated, much to the disappointment of Madame Huxley. She seemed to be constantly enthusiastic and happy, which Severus got a lot of amusement out of, who wasn't entirely bothered either way.

Along with the wonderful friends she had made on her train journey, the three were almost always seen together, and they had also made an firm friend in Hagrid, who they visited each weekend. When they had first gone to see the groundskeeper, he had almost burst into tears, interrupting the steady flow of conversation every few minutes to ask why exactly they'd come to see him, to which all three promptly responded:

"We wanted to, Hagrid."

Unfortunately, none of this had not deterred the bunch of gits from being cruel when given the opportunity. It had had the opposite effect actually, their unlikely friendship with the giant only fuelling the fire of their insults. There was no serious hatred there, and the boys barely indented the twins lives, but it irritated her to no end when they would throw their snide remarks to Severus. Remus and Peter were a bit more reserved, and she could tell that Remus was quite uncomfortable with the teasing, but he still did nothing to stop it. In all honesty, Hermione had steered clear of the mean boys and tried get Severus to do the same.

When December arrived, Lily had mailed their parents to ask about arrangements for Christmas, but the reply they got was extremely upsetting.

Coincidentally, Petunia's friend's parents were going away to see her ailing grandma, meaning that they were to be in the South and she and her brother had nowhere to go. Petunia - the kind-hearted and generous girl that she was - had quickly offered her sister's beds up, knowing that Hogwarts students were allowed to stay over the holidays.

The month before came and went, a few gifts being sent using Lily's owl. On Christmas Eve, both Hermione and Lily had burst into tears almost in sync at the thought of spending the family event without their parents for the first time. Hermione crawled into her sister's bed, the room feeling empty without Mary, who had also gone home, and they comforted each other.

On Christmas day, their spirits rose a little, though not enough to join the feast in the great hall, where the other seven children who stayed were eating.

Instead, they requested entry to the kitchens, where they baked all the famous treats their mother was known for. Severus, who had stayed with them, suggested the idea of making a different type of sweet for each different professor, which the girls adopted with gusto. Lily giggled as she decided they were going to make lemon bars for Professor Mcgonagall because she was so sour-faced, sending them fall into fits of laughter, and Severus said he had once overheard that lemon drops were Dumbledore's favourite sweet.

They spent the day meticulously measuring, reminiscing about their friendship before Hogwarts and - as was inevitable whenever Hermione baked - throwing most of the ingredients around the room. Luckily, they had learned the incantation to clean surfaces from Professor Flitwick (who was receiving a box of macaroons) in charms class.

Their teachers had appreciated the gifts, giving the three warm smiles and great compliments, most suggesting that they baked even better than the house elves, and a few sending them secret winks when classes resumed.

* * *

"Severus," Lily said, looking over to her pale friend, who was lounging on a tree in the shade, staring up at the spring blossoms.

"Yes?"

"Do you love me?" she asked, startling Hermione, who was basking in the sunlight by the lake.

"What do you mean?" he asked confusedly, looking worriedly at Hermione.

From what she had understood, the concept of love and girlfriends had become a big issue for most of the first years: boys became cute, instead of dirty and weird; kissing was considered grown-up and cool, not just another way to catch flu, and no matter how strange the subject was, bodies became the focus of everyone's attention. So when her sister brought up the subject of love with her male best friend, they were both confused.

"Do you love me?" she said, looking at him with a cocked head and a searching expression.

"Well, you're a great girl Lils," he started awkwardly, glaring over at a hysterical Hermione, who was in tearing up at the hilarious expression of alarm on Severus' face.

"No, idiot!" Lily laughed, smacking his arm, "Do you love me like I love Hermione?"

"You know you're like my sister, Lils," he told her, relieved and smiling, "You and Mione both."

"I feel the same," she said happily, reaching over to hug him.

"Where did that come from?" Hermione asked, walking over to them and plonking herself in between the two.

"It's just something Potter said," she sighed.

"What did the git say now?" Severus frowned, looking down at Hermione as she lay her head on his shoulder.

"He said you'd leave us."

"Leave?"

"Yeah, that you'd desert us."

"Now why would I want to do that?"

"Because we're in different houses," she sighed, looking over to her sister and adopted brother.

"So?"

"He said that in the end, you'd leave us, because Slytherins don't like muggle-borns," she said, biting her lip as she brought up just about their only forbidden subject.

"Being muggleborn is nothing to be ashamed of!" he said angrily, "you two are the most important people in my life!"

"Us too, Sev," Hermione whispered, looking up from his shoulder to see his face still contorted with rage, "You know Potter and Black are prats."

"You mustn't let them get to you Lils," he told her firmly, balling his fists.

"I just don't understand why they hate us," Lily huffed, "It was one time we insulted them, and now they hate us!"

"I wish they'd just stop with those stupid pranks," Hermione bit out, closing her eyes in frustration and remembering the countless times their classes had been interrupted by tricks or incidents, "I swear, they're insufferable."

"You know fully well that I cause joy and excitement wherever I go," the familiar voice of Sirius Black called. Hermione opened her eyes to see him and his posse strolling over the spring-green grass.

"Please, Black," she scoffed shifting her position on Severus' shoulder, "more like _whenever_ you go."

"Somebody's snappy today," Peter laughed,

"Hey Pettigrew?" Severus drawled, "You know that thing you do where you open your mouth and sounds come out?"

"You mean talking?"

"Yeah, that. Stop it."

"Real clever, Snivellus," Remus frowned, looking over at the dejected Peter. Hermione frowned at the protective look in his eyes.

_"Why doesn't he realise Peter was being mean too?"_

"I'd say something else clever, Lupin, but you wouldn't get it," Severus said, pulling Hermione closer to him and looking over to Lily. Sirius growled defensively and James took a menacing step forward, but before they could do anything, Lily was up and stood in front of the two.

"You take one step more!" she barked, making the boys back away laughing.

"Please, as if you'd hit me, Evans," James laughed.

"Yeah," Peter piped up again as Severus and Hermione stood up, "You're a girl!"

"I bet you hit like one too," Remus said.

"Sure I do," Lily smiled cruelly, "and so could you if you hit a little harder."

"Girls belong in the kitchen," Sirius smirked, looking over to Hermione.

"What, the way you belong in an asylum?" she retorted.

"Please Evans, you and I both know you fancy me," he leered, laughing with his friends at her disgusted expression.

"You know, I'd love to agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong."

"Why are you even here?" Lily demanded, crossing her arms and frowning.

"Oh, us?" James asked innocently, "We just came to give our friend Snivellus a little present."

"What?" she asked confusedly.

"Furnunculus!" Sirius cried, his wand pointing straight at Severus, who's face had erupted in giant, throbbing, pus-filled boils. Lily shrieked indignantly as his face contorted in pain, making the foursome laugh.

"Get him to the hospital wing, Lils," Hermione gritted out, glaring over to James, who was bent double with glee.

"But Mione," she said hesitantly, looking at the furious expression on her sister's face.

"Just go," she said, "He needs Madame Pomfrey. I'll meet you there in a minute. I promise"

"Okay," she whispered, grabbing Severus's hand and walking back to the castle.

As soon as they'd moved out of sight, Hermione rounded on the boys, who had calmed down somewhat.

"You're despicable!"

"Why thank you, love!" Sirius said proudly, mock bowing. Hermione snarled, stepping closer to him.

"Why would you do that?" she challenged.

"He's in Slytherin, that's why," Sirius scoffed, as if she'd asked what one plus one equaled.

"**That doesn't matter**!" she roared, hitting him as hard as she could in the chest. Granted, it didn't have the effect she'd hoped for - sudden and painful death, if you were wondering - but it certainly shocked him.

"Listen here, you little chit," he said, grinding his teeth with an unrecognisable glint in his eye, "you can try to keep your precious little Snivellus, but sooner or later his Slytherin will come out and he'll ditch you. They're all the same."

"I don't care!" she cried, looking over to the amused James, nervous Peter and a very guilty Remus, "What we do is of no concern to you, Black, nor you're pals. Stay away from us!"

"You'll see!" he bellowed to her retreating form, as she stalked back to her friend.

* * *

"Miss Dwerryhouse, if you could please tell me what year the Soap Blizzard occurred?" the dull voice of Professor Binns droned, not even looking up from his textbook.

"1378, sir," Hermione answered, rolling her eyes at the stubborn ghost.

Ever since the class had started, she had realised that he was a very impatient man, and would not be taking take the liberty of learning his students' names.

Professor Binns paused as he considered the answer, pursing his lips, looking like a wrinkled old tortoise.

"Correct, ten points to Gryffindor. The 14th Century economic bubble burst following the Soap Blizzard of 1378..." he begun to recite from his notes, reading in a flat drone like an old hoover until nearly everyone in the class was in deep thought or dreaming of the summer sunshine outside, occasionally coming round long enough to copy down a name or date, then falling into a daze again.

"Mr Adlebourne, what were the ramifications of the reformation occurring in the council of Glennon in the wake of the Soap Blizzard?"

"Er..." the nervous Hufflepuff - called Simon Whitton - said, biting his lip in concentration.

"It's the one about Patrick Kellett," his friend whispered.

"Mr Chudderley, this is not a debate!" Binns exclaimed, "Five points from Hufflepuff for disrupting learning."

"Sorry sir, I was-" the boy (Thomas Froste) started, before getting cut off again.

"All of this will be on your end of year examination, Chudderley. At this rate, only Miss Dwerryhouse and Miss Stoddeley will be passing said test," he chastised, looking up from his textbook to nod at Lily and Hermione.

"Now, Patrick Kellett was a 14th Century hero..."

Hermione turned to her sister, who was giggling at Mary because she'd fallen asleep on her desk and was snoring.

"I hope we do well on our exams. I don't want to be kicked out of Hogwarts," Hermione said, looking to her notes of the class. She'd read all the textbooks for their exam before they'd got to Hogwarts, but couldn't help but worry.

"We'll do fine, Mione. You heard Binns: Dwerryhouses and Stoddeleys are hard workers," she said seriously, grinning at her sister, "No doubt our good looks and determination will pull us through!"

* * *

Staring blankly down at the Gryffindor table, Hermione wondered how she had gotten through first year exams.

She had first been called into transfiguration with her class, where Professor McGonagall commanded that they turn a mouse into a matchstick, peering silent over the top of her spectacles at them. Then, then were asked to treat a werewolf bite in defence.

By then, panic was stirring in her stomach, giving her an awful headache. She'd clung to her sanity as she tried to remember the steps for the forgetfulness potion, glancing over at a cheery professor Slughorn, who's gleeful grin was - for once - not so infectious. After, he'd sent them straight to History of Magic, where Binns had prepared an exam as tedious as the lessons he'd taught on everything they'd learned throughout the year.

Head throbbing, hand cramped and an dreadful feeling of failure on her conscience, Hermione made her way to greenhouse one, where quick-fire questions on dittany and devils snare clouded her mind. A worrisome smile on her face, Professor Sprout had directed them to the charms classroom and Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk.

Finally, after an especially long day of testing, she popped to the library to study for her Astronomy test at midnight.

Today was the day they would receive their results, and that was all she could think about. She'd blocked any conversations out, not even bothering to wave hello to Clara and Sarah as she headed to their usual place

"Here you go Miss Evans," Professor Mcgonagall said, breaking her out of her stupor as she placed a familiar piece of parchment next to her. Hermione looked worriedly at the paper so similar to a treasure map, "And for you Miss Evans."

"I don't want to open it," she whispered, glaring at the untouched plate in front of her, "I've probably failed everything."

"Don't be an idiot Minne!" Mary laughed, taring into her wax-sealed parchment and unfolding her results, "you, Lily, Severus and the girls studied so hard I bet your brains hurt."

"I got five O's!" Lily squealed, wrapping her arms around her sister in delight, "The rest are E's, which is brilliant!"

"I got two O's, three E's and two A's," Mary smiled happily, shoving some egg and beans onto her fork, "That means I passed everything."

Sighing, Hermione ripped the seal of the parchment and flattened it, to reveal a table of results much like her schedule had looked at the start of the year.

* * *

**Hermione June Evans' First Year Wizarding Examinations: Results**

Astronomy  
_Classification: Outstanding_

Charms  
_Classification: Outstanding_

Defence Against the Dark Arts  
_Classification: Outstanding_

Herbology  
_Classification: Outstanding_

History of Magic_  
__Classification: Outstanding_

Potions___  
__Classification: Outstanding_

Transfiguration_____  
__Classification: Outstanding_

* * *

"See," Severus laughed from above her, "you had nothing to worry about!"

"Where did you come from?" she gasped, looking up at him as he read over her shoulder.

"Oh Mione!" Lily cried, grasping the paper and reading quickly, "That's so amazing!"

Hermione could see her smile waver as she looked down at her own results, but didn't dwell on it.

"Feel like an idiot yet?" Mary giggled, making funny faces at her friend, "No way you're not staying in Hogwarts, Minnie."

"Thanks, guys!" Hermione said, hugging her sister and friends, "I know I can get a bit stress-y at exam time."

"You're telling me!" Severus joked, waving goodbye to them as he made his way over to class.

* * *

"Owl me everyday!" Hermione cried as she watched her friends run over to their parents.

"I can't wait till we get home and summer starts!" Lily squealed, before spotting their mum and running over to her and throwing her arms around her.

"I can't wait till we come back," Hermione whispered, before running with Severus to her dad.


	7. Chapter 7: Invariably Pointless

**Hola!**

**Lo siento, but this is another filler chapter! I know, I know, but I just need to get to fifth year then the action can start. I guess if you like it, like it; if you don't like it, lump it, ay?**

**I hope it's bearable, **

**Emmy. x**

* * *

Hermione's second year passed in the same way that her first had done: interesting yet uneventful. It seemed that everyday she was being introduced to new concepts and ideas in magic, and she knew there was still so much to learn.

Of course, not everything's perfect, and their four tormentors were persistent, their attacks getting more organised and cruel, usually resulting in an infuriated Lily or a cursed body part for Severus.

Hermione had taken to ignoring the boys whenever they came over, only stepping in to take Severus to the hospital wing or drag an enraged Lily away from what could quickly escalate into a full scale wizard's duel - if she wasn't careful. But even though she tried her hardest, she couldn't ignore the weirdly longing looks James gave her sister when she wasn't looking, or that he took every opportunity to talk to her, even if she wouldn't speak to him. She'd also noticed that Sirius would look a her more than her twin and Severus, but she chalked that up to mere coincidence.

Everything this year seemed different, more relaxed and more familiar. Instead of travelling in Hogwarts' little sailboats, they'd joined the older students in the carriages. Hermione had tried to ask what the strange horses pulling them were, but she only received looks of sympathy in return. Unlike first year, when the three were standing at the front of the hall, she and Lily were clapping along with the other Gryffindors at their table as they watched new students get sorted. Lessons were the same - although this was the year they got to choose their options for third year - and the teachers greeted them with a warm familiarity, instead of the condescension they'd experienced the year before. They were part of the Hogwarts family now.

* * *

"Hey Minne," Clara said, coming to sit at their regular table in the library, "Hey Sev."

"Hi Clara," she smiled, looking up from the book she was reading to see her friend in the seat next to her.

"Hello," Severus said, taking his nose out of the book long enough to give her a quick grin, before going back to reading. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and turned to face the Ravenclaw.

"What you up to?" she asked, dog-earing her book and closing it.

"Oh, nothing. The entire common room's gone crazy since we beat Hufflepuff in the last quiditch match," Clara sighed, leaning back into her chair.

"I know what you mean! Ever since Black and Potter made the team, they won't stop talking about it," Hermione huffed, "I just don't get it, all you're doing is chasing a ball, dodging a ball or throwing one."

"And then they go on about it like it's more important that breathing. I just want them-"

"To shut up!" they said in sync, laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.

"Black acts like he's the bloody queen of Sheeba now he's on the team, and Potter does too."

"So does Aldine Vane. He's Ravenclaw's new beater and the girls treat him like he's made of diamonds. I don't get what the fuss is all about, to be honest. Anyway, what were you doing?"

"Oh, me and Sev are just reading some textbooks to see what we want to do for options next year."

"Cool, I think I'll do Arithmancy and Muggle Studies, and Sarah's set her heart on Care of Magical Creatures and Divination."

"Divination? What a load of bollocks," Severus scoffed loudly, earning him a whack round the head from Hermione.

"Well, that's what she want to do. Personally I wouldn't trust a crystal ball to tell me the weather, never mind predict the future," Clara shrugged, looking down at the books in interest.

"I know what you mean," Hermione agreed, "The only reason I would go to that class would be for some entertainment."

"If you aren't doing divination, Minne, what are you going to do?"

"I think I'll do Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes."

"Ancient Runes! That's the hardest class on the curriculum," Clara said, looking over at her friend as if she were mad.

"I know, but it should be interesting," she paused, "_and_ I doubt Black will be there, which is always a bonus."

"You shouldn't base choices on those gits," Clara frowned, picking up an Arithmancy textbook and flicking through, "why don't you come to Muggle Studies with me?"

"Clara, I live with muggles," she giggled, "If I wanted to study them, I'd just go home."

"It was just a suggestion. I don't like that their making you do things," she grumbled.

"I know what you mean," Hermione sighed, looking over to Severus.

* * *

As promised, her correspondence with the Headmaster continued, though instead of the letters they had sent in first year, Professor Dumbledore had decided to host an afternoon tea of sorts each Sunday, calling Hermione into his office for a chat and a slice of whatever delicious cake the house elves had prepared. The two would chomp merrily and sip their tea as they discussed topics from Hermione's views on school subjects, to the laws on half-breeds - a word Hermione abhorred.

When they returned home, they were both happy and sad. Petunia, who was now 16 year old, had declared to the entire family at the first breakfast of the summer that 'I want nothing to do with the freaks, please keep them away from me'. Their parents had comforted the girls, but there was not mistaking her message. Hermione and Lily Evans were no longer considered family to Petunia.

After that, the summer of second year was spent hanging out with Severus by the stream in the park, baking, and waiting for third year to begin.

* * *

Hermione's third year at Hogwarts was much different to the last two. She had discovered Hogsmeade, Honeyduke's and and new spells, charms and potions.

She and Severus had seemed to catch on to a certain shaggy-haired boy's secret at the same, looking over to Remus in confusion and curiosity whenever he became ill and taking out library books on magical creatures. Once Hermione realised what the boy was, she tried to distract him for fear of him using it as revenge, but he was clever, and she knew it would only work for so long.

Severus - who she and Lily already considered family - was almost always found with Hermione and Lily in his free time, especially over the holidays. The three had opted to go home for Christmas, and Severus had been invited to spend Christmas with the Evans because his mother had been away.

Severus joined in with the family's traditions, like the the day-long decoration of the house, baking treats for the neighbourhood, and their Christmas eve family time. By the end of the holiday, the smiling, energetic boys was almost unrecognisable to his mother, who was still as stiff and uncaring as ever.

Her dad had joked that he might as well move in, and they'd all laughed, but Hermione had caught a strange look in Severus' eyes. She knew that his mother wasn't exactly the most nurturing woman on the planet, but she didn't think that she would mistreat him.

After that, Hermione was determined to do anything they could at home so he didn't have to go back, having sleepovers and going out whenever they could before they returned to Hogwarts in the spring.

Petunia usually hung out with her friends in her room, watching her sisters and 'that boy' making snowmen and laughing in the garden. Sometimes, Hermione would catch a glimpse of Petunia behind the curtains, but she put it down to missing her sister. Petunia still had not accepted that her sisters were witches, preferring to pretend they were not there and Hermione was losing hope that her sister would ever look at them the same way she had done.

* * *

Hermione stared out of the transfiguration classroom's window, sighing at the thought of the spring sunshine that shone almost everyday as the weeks of school flew by. There was only three weeks left of the school year, and she wanted to enjoy the great weather with her friends, no matter how important lessons were to their final exams. Lily was chatting to Mary about the Beatles latest album, and Severus, Sarah and Clara were all in Astronomy.

"Students," McGonagall said, her sharp scottish accent cutting off all conversations like a knife through butter, "Today you will be exploring the magical theory behind animal to object transfiguration. Do remember to take notes."

Hermione begun taking rapid notes as McGonagall lectured, her quill gliding across the page. Her professor, however, was interrupted in her explanation by a gentle knock at the door.

"Come in," she said, looking over to the door along with her curious class. Their headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, was stood in the doorway. He smiled gaily at the whispering children before turning to the transfiguration mistress.

"Minerva, dear," his soft voice carrying across the room, "I was wondering if perhaps I could steal away one your marvellous students."

"Who do you require, Albus?"

"I will be needing Miss Evans," he said, sending a comforting smile over to Hermione, who noticed that familiar twinkle in his pale blue eyes.

"Of course Professor," McGonagall nodded, "Will my students be returning before lunch?"

"I do believe she won't."

"Alright, take your things then."

On leaving the classroom, she followed silently behind her headmaster as he walked through the halls, coming to a halt in front of the gargoyle Hermione had met in her first session with Dumbledore.

"Cockroach Clusters," he announced.

She waited as she stared at the giant stone statue which turned to reveal the staircase.

The two made their way up the flight of steps, Hermione's worry growing as she thought of why she was here. She composed herself, shook her shoulders to shake off her nerves, and cleared her mind. The polished oak door sung open, and the Dumbledore lead her through the room, full of trinkets and inventions, to a pair of matching leather seats.

"Please take a seat," Dumbledore smiled from behind his desk, and Hermione did, sinking into the comfortable arm chair. He was quite for a moment, before leaning forward onto his elbows.

"Sir, if I may ask, why are we here?" she asked, looking over to him with nerves fluttering around her stomach, "Am I in trouble?"

"Ah, Hermione, blunt as ever, I see," he laughed, making her huff at his evasion, "You are not in trouble, dear. You are here because Mr Lupin, a Gryffindor in the same year as you, is quite concerned a certain ailment of his had been discovered. Are you aware of this illness, Miss Evans?"

"Do you mean his lycanthropy?"

"Yes, that would be the one. What drew you to that conclusion, Miss Evans?"

"He get's ill every month," she said simply. "When the full moon is approaching, he looks like he's about to keel over, and when it has passed, he looks like death warmed up. After we learned about them in DADA, I put it all together."

Albus steepled his fingers together, bringing his wrinkled hands up to his lips, though she thought she saw a flash of a smile that he tried to hide.

"And how long have you known about this?"

"We learnt about werewolves at the start of the year," Hermione replied, "I have not told anyone, if that's what you're bothered about, not even Lily."

"Do you plan to tell your sister anytime soon?"

"No, but my sister is very intelligent, and I expect she'll realise soon enough."

"How do you think she will handle the situation once she figures it out?" asked the old wizard, looking quite interested.

"She won't tell people, if that's what you mean. My sister and I are trustworthy," she said, vehemently.

"Ah, but I do remember that a certain Slytherin friend of yours has a few problems with Remus and his friends."

"Severus would never do that to someone, even if he didn't like them," she scowled, annoyed at the implications her Professor was making, "That's what separates him from them."

"Of course, Miss Evans."

"Sir, unlike Black, Potter, Lupin and Pettigrew, Severus is not petty. He doesn't waste his time being cruel to people just because he can."

"Miss Evans, I'd be quite careful of what I say, if I were you," he warned, looking down from above his joined hands.

"It's true sir!" she cried, "They make his life miserable and you all do nothing about it! The only time I've seen someone stop them is Professor Slughorn!"

"That's quite enough, Miss Evans. I did not ask you here to listen to your views on my teaching methods, but to ensure the safety of my pupils. Are you willing to keep silent?"

"Of course, sir," she huffed petulantly, her arms crossed and face flushed from the argument.

"Then you may go."

* * *

"Hey Mione, those guys are looking over at us," Lily whispered to her sister, glancing over at the two boys who were standing in front of the local Spar.

The year had passed quickly, and they were now lounging around in the summer sun, wearing short shorts and dresses and hanging out under their tree in the park. She and Lily were loitering about in the village, sitting on the wall and just chatting, because Severus' mother had decided to take him to London for a few days, and the girls were unsure of what to do without him.

"No they're not," she rolled her eyes, looking away from her sister.

"Yes they are! Why don't we go over there?"

"Are you kidding?" Hermione exclaimed, looking wide-eyed over to her sister.

"Don't think I didn't see you staring googly-eyed at the tall one."

"I was not!"

"You so were," Lily laughed, grabbing her sister's hand and pulling her off the wall, "We're at least walking past."

She dragged Hermione across the village green, her green eyes hidden by large sunglasses and bouncy curls shining in the summer sun. She nervously tugged the sleeves of her dress as they walked past, talking in what she hoped was a normal way to her sister.

"Hey!" the dark-haired boy called out, making the two turn. The two boys caught up with them, and Hermione ignored the smug grin on her sister's face.

"Did you need something?" Lily asked kindly, cocking her head to the side in mock confusion.

"No, but I thought we could introduce ourselves. I'm Aaron," the dark-haired boy grinned, his light brown eyes glinting. He a cheeky smile that told the twins he was looking for trouble and he was the shorter of the boys, but still taller than the twins by a long while.

"I'm Corey," a tall, blonde boy told them, waving awkwardly.

His shiny hair was cut short, unlike his friend's floppy curls, and the lightness of it really brought out the colour of his amber eyes. The tight top he was wearing clung onto his skin so you could see the contours of his athletic body and looking at him, Hermione could tell they were a bit older than fourteen - Hermione & Lily's age.

"Hi, I'm Lily, and this is my sister Hermione," she beamed, Hermione following suite.

"Pretty names for pretty ladies," Aaron teased, sending a wink over to Lily, who blushed a light pink, "We were just about to head off to the park, you wanna come?"

"Sure!" Lily said, looking over to her sister who nodded.

"So, I've never seen you around here, are you new?" Corey asked, looking curiously over to her.

"No, we tend to stick with our friend, Severus," Hermione told him as they walked into the newspaper shop, "We go to boarding school, so we're only here for holidays."

"Oh, so you're a posh girl, ay?" he chuckled.

"No!" Hermione laughed, pushing him teasingly, rolling her eyes and biting her lip, "I got in on merit, not money."

"Alright, alright," he joked, putting his hands up in mock surrender, "I bet you're really smart then, huh?"

"I guess," she shrugged, not sure what to tell him about Hogwarts, "We got invited to go."

"Oh, that's cool. So where's your school?"

"Up in Scotland," she answered, searching the shop for her sister. When she spotted her, she realised that she was wrapped up in conversation with Aaron.

"Groovy. Do you want something?" he asked, gesturing to the rows of chocolate and sweets in jars.

"Sure!" she smiled, "I'll have a Sherbet Fountain, if that's alright?"

"Fine," he grinned.

"So, where do you go to school?" She asked as they made their way to the till.

"I'm at the local high school," He said, paying to the smiling boy at the counter and turning to the door, "You know anyone there?"

"No, just my sister," she said, licking her sherbet and scrunching her face up at the bitterness.

"You mean Lily?" He asked, looking confusedly over to her, "I thought she went to boarding school with you?"

"No, not Lily!" Hermione giggled, "My elder sister, Petunia; I think she's in the year above you."

Corey's eyes widened, looking down at her in shock and then over to Lily.

"You're the freaky Evans twins?" he exclaimed, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Freaky twins? What are you talking about?" she asked, frowning at the word.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry," he said, putting his hands out to assure her, "I didn't mean it like that, it's just that I know Petunia - she's in my class - and she's always going on about her weird twin sisters. I thought you were like aliens, that's all."

"**Aliens**!" Hermione cried, grabbing the attention of her sister and Aaron as well.

"No, I don't mean that!" he defended, "That's just the impression she gave."

"And you still believe her!"

"No! Of course I don't! You're lovely..." he trailed off, blushing at the love-y dove-y face his friend was making. Hermione's face flushed to, a mix of embarrassment and anger at Petunia.

"I mean, you're nice, yeah, nice. And not at all like what Petunia said."

"What did Tuney say about us?" Lily asked, looking confusedly over at Corey.

"Nothing, nothing at-"

"She called us freaks again, Lils. She called us aliens," Hermione said.

"What! That does it!" Lily exhaled, looking apologetically at the boys, "I'm going to sort her out when we get home. This is ridiculous!"

"Maybe we could meet up soon?" Aaron said, looking at the two twins and sending them an uncertain grin.

"Will you meet me tomorrow?" Corey asked Hermione, "By the swings in the park?"

"Sure," she smiled.

"Bye then, Hermione."

"See you, Corey."

* * *

Laying in the soft grass next to Severus, Hermione laughed as he shoved a full biscuit in his mouth.

"You know, Sev, if you keep eating like that you'll be fatter than Vernon by the time we get back to Hogwarts!" Lily giggled, taking the biscuits off him and nibbling one of her own.

"I am not fat!" he whined petulantly, sending the girls into fits of laughter at the sour expression, "Anyway, nobody's fat compared to Vernon Dursley, he's like a bloody beached whale!"

"I can't believe she's going out with him," Hermione sighed, "He's a pompous arse, and he's always going on about how wives should serve their husbands. Like Petunia's not doing enough, already."

"She cooked him a full english breakfast yesterday, and she used up all the eggs," Lily huffed, still annoyed at having to eat Weetabix instead of the scrambled eggs her mum had planned.

"I can't believe your parents make you act like you're one big happy family when she gets to say whatever she wants about you," Severus said, grabbing another custard cream and crunching loudly.

"I know," Hermione agreed, "Who calls their sister's aliens!"

"When did that happen?" Severus asked, "Have you had another fight?"

"No, we ran into these boys in her class a few days ago and they told us 'cause one of them recognised us," Hermione explained, "Apparently she can't shut up about the 'freaky Evans twins'."

"What a bit-"

"Language!" the twins hissed in unison, before turning to each other and laughing.

"You have to admit it though," Severus frowned, "You guys are amazing sisters to have. I should know."

"You're a wonderful brother Sev," Lily smiled, taking a sidelong glance to her sister and smiling cheekily, "Did you see Corey again, then?"

"Yeah," Hermione shrugged, adjusting her shorts.

"Who's Corey?" Severus asked, his mouth full of biscuit.

"He's a friend of mine," she said, looking up at the warm yellow and green of the leaves in the tree above her.

"More than a friend, I'd say," Lily giggled, poking her squirming sister, neither of them noticing the scowl forming on Severus' face.

"No, he's just a friend," Hermione stated.

"Then why did I see you two _kissing_ in the garden before you came in?"


	8. Chapter 8: The Wonders of Arguments

Okay, so this is my first non-filler chapter for a while. I'm not going to ramble on, I just hope you like it! Sorry it took such a long time to upload, but I've been on holiday for the last two weeks, so I was relaxing.

Hope you like it and review if you can,

Emmy. x

* * *

Sitting in the first class of fifth year, Hermione realised that lots had changed for her and her sister the summer before fifth year.

She had grumbled as she watched her sister go through another growth spurt, leaving her the shortest in the family, only a tiny 5ft 4 - she'd measured. She had sighed after Petunia, once again, made her feelings towards her sisters known, by opting to sneer at them whenever she saw them, and laughing cruelly when Hermione stopped seeing Corey. And she had laughed at Severus as he grumbled like he was her father about how 'that boy from the village' was much too old her, and that it was his job to protect her from idiots like that, his tirades about brotherly protection never wearing thin.

Both girls had filled out in places they should have done: Lily's leaner form was a well-balanced mix of her dad's tall, athletic figure, but enough of her mother's womanly features to soften it, giving her subtle curves; whereas Hermione was like Petunia in the sense that she had inherited almost every aspect of her figure - her defined curves and feminine features - from her mother, except her height, which she had gotten from their grandma.

The two had noticed the increasing interest from the village boys, though nothing had stuck. Hermione had briefly dated Corey, an older boy, but the two agreed it wasn't working, and decided to stay friends. It was from Corey that Hermione had her first kiss, making him special in her eyes. Both of them had become popular at Hogwarts, and they spoke kindly to everyone who they saw.

Severus had also picked up on the attention they were getting, and had become much more protective of his two sisters. He himself had grown from lanky child to a healthy teen, and he was garnering his own attention because of it. Hermione wouldn't say he was as handsome as some of the boys at Hogwarts, like Stuart Conor from Ravenclaw or that cute Hufflepuff Luke Hopkins, but he had his own appeal, even if he did put girls off with his cold personality. She'd never understood why he was so kind and friendly to her, Lily and the girls but more shy and withdrawn with anyone else. She knew he was friends with Edgecombe in Slytherin, but god knows who else he talked to when he wasn't with them and it was something that worried the sisters a lot - perhaps it was due to the fact those pricks, Potter, Pettigrew, Lupin and Black were so cruel to him.

They'd gotten even thicker as they'd grown up, teasing both her and her sister with lewd jokes and dirty insinuations. Potter had abandoned the insults and petty hexes in favour of humiliation, proclaiming wildly that he loved Lily every morning, and annoying her further by mockingly asking her to go to Hogsmeade every day. Lupin and Pettigrew kept out of the girls' way, but that didn't stop them from tormenting Severus whenever they weren't around, so she and her sister found no guilt in sending sneaky spells their way when they weren't looking and casting curses openly so they could defend their friend.

Sirius, however, was by far the worst. He constantly jinxed and toyed with Hermione, embarrassing her and sparking her temper at any opportunity. He was constantly spreading that infernal nickname of his, and she assumed he did a lot worse to Severus when she wasn't looking. She was glad he hadn't taken the same path as James, but that didn't stop her from glaring every time he took a girl to Hogsmeade, only to dump her the next day; that boy had no respect for women, and it made Hermione sick. There wasn't a week that would pass without Hermione and Lily screaming at James and Sirius for something, so most of the students had gotten used to it, only seeing it as a little light entertainment, rather than a real cause for concern; no one dared interfere with the Marauders, for fear of getting pranked in retaliation.

"Good morning, students," Professor McGonagall greeted, her sharp eyes peering over the group with a serious and quite frankly scary expression on her face, "This - being your first lesson of your fifth year at Hogwarts, and subsequently your first transfiguration class of O.W.L standard - is an extremely important time in your learning. Transfiguration can be some of the most complex and dangerous magic you attempt to learn here at Hogwarts, however at this level, the magic is much more volatile when used incorrectly. Anyone fooling around in my classroom will be asked to leave immediately and not come back."

Hermione stared at McGonagall, wondering if she was just scaremongering to get her class to behave, or if it was actually true.

"Now that you have been warned," she smiled, any trace of the glare she had been giving them gone, "We may begin our lesson. Today, you will be learning the basic movement and pronunciation of the Evanesco, otherwise know as the vanishing spell."

"I could think of a few things I'd like to vanish," Hermione heard Sirius, who was sitting behind her with his gang of morons, whisper, "Imagine the shock a bird would get if you vanished her knickers whilst she was walking past!"

"Oh, another great idea the wonderfully sexist Marauders," Hermione muttered as she listened to her teacher lecture, "No doubt he'd be willing to supply them with new ones in the quidditch broom cupboard after class."

"Are you talking to yourself?" James snorted, his friends laughing at her.

She whipped around to see them all chuckling, and snapped at him, "I was until you interrupted!"

She turned quickly to face the Professor again, her face flushing bright scarlet as she realised what she'd said, and that it had only provoked more laughter from the gits behind her. She heard Sirius call her a nutter, but focused all her attention on their transfiguration professor, ignoring the jeers from the twats behind her and trying not to care.

"Now before we go on to vanishing, I would like you all to revise the conjuring spells we learnt last year. So if you would all perform a harmless conjuring spell of your choice now for me."

Hermione whipped out her wand and held her hand out in front of her, aiming the wood at her skin. She waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of glowing bluebell flames straight to her palm, the fire sending sparks of warmth across her skin. She held her flames as she looked around, noticing most of her classmates had chosen to conjure flowers with the orchideous spell, or cast a simple aguamenti, splashing their friends and classmates.

Hermione had to giggle, though, when she looked over to the other side of the room, she saw a sputtering Hufflepuff girl spraying herself with ongoing jets of wine from her wand.

"Varina has been practicing that spell all summer," Mary told her, joining Hermione's giggling.

"Ah, that benign Hufflepuff work ethic," she grinned, looking over to the dripping girl across the classroom.

"I think she did okay!" Lily added from beside her sister, "At least she managed to make the wine. That seventh year from Slytherin, Ackerly, tried the same spell and he kept on conjuring grapes."

"Why didn't she just go for something easy?" she asked, whilst watching McGonagall shooed her friends away.

"You say that 'Mione, but no one else used the bluebell charm," Lily said, pointing to the dancing flames in her sister's hand, which she quickly extinguished.

"Yeah, but that's a second year spell, so anyone could do it if they wanted to. The fountain of wine spell, on the other hand, is a fourth year charm _at least_, and like you said, barely anyone can make it work."

"I think we all know you can conjure wine just fine, Minne," Mary sniggered, reminding them of the sleepover they'd had at the end of fourth year.

"Hey, in my defence, Clara was the one who suggested it!" Hermione said.

"Yeah, but you were the one who downed about six glasses of it!" Mary whispered, whilst sending cautious glances over to their Professor, who was trying to get the wine out of Varina's shirt.

"Not so loud!" she said, "Anyway, I may have drunk all the wine, but at least I didn't glug half a bottle of Firewh-"

"Ladies, I trust that you have all managed to conjure something," McGonagall said as she approached the desk, looking around for the evidence.

"Of course, Professor," Mary smiled, holding up a bouquet of wild daisies.

"Very well done, Miss McDonald. And you, Lily?"

"Well, I cast Aguamenti," she said, pointing to the small puddle on the desk.

"Ah, excellent!" the professor exclaimed, flicking her wand in the direction of the water and silently vanishing it, "I think that'll be five points to Gryffindor for controlling your charm and not getting someone else wet, Miss Evans. Finally, Hermione dear, what have you got for me?"

"Well, I cast the bluebell charm, you know the one that conjures flames? I put it out though, when the class was distracted, but I can do it again..."

"No need, dear, I trust you knew what you were doing," McGonagall told her, before walking off to the next desk.

"I can't believe she lets you do stuff like that! One minute she's all 'If you dare try to attempt a vanishing spell, you will meet your doom!', and then she just lets you off without even seeing your spell!" Mary said, looking over to their stern teacher in amazement.

"Yeah, well she does the same with Lily," Hermione muttered, looking down at the wooden work benches of the transfiguration rooms, embarrassed.

"Maybe, but you could do whatever you wanted in here, like trick all the Hufflepuffs, and I doubt she would bat an eyelid," she continued, oblivious to her friends discomfort, "Heck, if you managed to include transfiguration, I bet she would give you extra house points."

"Now you're just being silly, Mary," Lily interjected, seeing the look on her sister's face at their friend's words.

"Yeah, Mary, as if 'ickle Minne here could do anything against the rules," the familiar mocking tone of Sirius Black taunted from behind them, making all three girls turn around.

"What do you want, Black?" Lily rolled her eyes, folding her arms as she watched him and Potter exchange glances.

"He wants nothing, Lily flower. I, on the other hand..." James said suggestively, raising his eyebrows and stepping closer to a repulsed Lily.

"Sure, when hell freezes over!" she growled. Mary noticed she was about to attack, so she grabbed her arm and pulled her back a bit.

"You wound me so, Lily flower," Potter cried, clutching at his heart dramatically and fluttering his black lashes.

"Someone ought to," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

"Come on, Minne-" Sirius started, drawing out the nickname in mocking.

"Don't call me that!" she barked, interrupting him.

"-don't be like that."

"Like what, Black? Like I actually care about my sister? Like I know Potter over here is highly incapable of producing a _patronus_, never mind doing anything remotely worthwhile in my sister's bedroom?" she scoffed, ignoring her friends' shocked expression.

No doubt they were shocked at how she was speaking to Sirius because she had only ever been the epitome of innocent in public - no matter how much she drank with them.

"Been thinking about that, have you Evans?" he smirked.

"Whatever, Black."

She promptly spun to face the board, signalling the end of their conversation. They'd had so many arguments, but he'd never done that with her. She didn't even know what it was he was doing, she just knew that stupid smirk on his face was _not_ attractive at all, no matter that her heart had started beating faster.

"They're such prats," Mary sighed in frustration as they all began copying the main points of vanishing from the heavy textbooks they'd bought from Diagon Alley the week before.

"I know, but it's not what they say to us that annoys me," Hermione replied.

"It's what they do to Sev," Lily finished, gripping her quill a little tighter at the thought.

"I don't get why they're so mean to him, though," Mary frowned.

"They're mean to anyone who won't worship them like their gaggle of girls do," Lily huffed, "No one notices it though, because they're all busy kissing the bloody ground they walk on."

"They're all horrid, Mary," Hermione informed angrily, "Have been since first year."

"I know, Minnie," she tried to soothe, "Just be glad Sarah, Clara and I aren't bewitched like the other girls at this school, otherwise we'd be coming after you two everyday for saying mean things about my Jamey-poo and Siri-bear."

Hermione giggled along with her sister at Mary's perfect impression of a Marauder's fan girl. They spent the rest of the lesson focusing on the vanishing theory, and it soon ended.

"Hey," Hermione said, stopping in the hallway. They had been walking to potions, which the three shared with Severus, "I've left my bag in McGonagall's room!"

"Oh Mione, you are an idiot," Lily grinned, "Go and get it, we'll tell Slughorn where you are."

"Thanks Lils," she said, breathing out a sigh of relief, "I'll be back in a sec, okay?"

"It's fine, Minne," Mary said, her tone teasing, "Just don't be too slow, 'cause you know Slughorn will be in a bad mood if one of his two favourite students is missing."

"You know Lily is his favourite, Mary," Hermione reminded, "Just like you're Professor Sprout's favourite."

"Go already!" Lily exclaimed, before walking off with Mary.

Still amused, she wandered along the empty halls toward the transfiguration classroom. Unconsciously following the path to the classroom she'd memorised when she was a first year, she paid no attention to the person coming in the opposite direction. She walked straight into them, causing her to stumble into the wall.

"Hey!" Hermione cried, not looking at who she'd walked into as she righted her scrunched uniform and stood upright, her head spinning slightly from the impact.

"Sorry, Princess," the irritating voice of Sirius called from behind her.

"Why aren't you in class, Black?" she asked confused, looking around for his posse of prats.

"I was just heading off to engage in a little extra-curricular activities, Evans, if you really must know," he winked, making her gag slightly at the mental image.

"I didn't, but you have managed to make me feel quite ill."

"Oh yeah, I forgot you were a prude," he chuckled, a deep, throaty sound, "Don't worry, love, it's always the bookworms that are animals in bed."

"There are no words for how disgusting you are."

"Yes there are, you just never learnt them, love," he leered, the insinuation clear.

"What's it like having a mind of pure filth?"

"Endlessly entertaining," he grinned, "You are such a swot."

"Shut up, Black," she bit bravely, looking anything but as she glanced down the deserted hall. When she looked up, he was right in front of her, barely a foot from her face, "I need to get past."

"Why aren't you in class then, Princess? I would have thought you'd be dying to get to Slughorn, seeing as he practically salivates over you and the other Evans."

"Just because you're a horrid _prick_ who can't be bothered with school, doesn't mean everyone else should be."

"At least I don't suck up like your precious _Snivellus_," he said, stepping closer to her.

"Leave Severus alone! Why do you have it in for him? He's done nothing to you!" she shouted, staring at his smug grin.

"What I wouldn't do to loosen you up a bit," he whispered. She bit her lower lip instinctively, before realising it was Black who was standing there.

_'He's your tormentor, remember!'_ she told herself, before looking up at him defiantly.

"Any part of you that touches me you're not getting back," she growled, before pushing him off her and stalking off.

"I know what you mean. Anyone would want a souvenir after a night with me," he called to her as she walked away, "How about you give me your knickers and you can keep my pants?"

She stopped in the middle of the hall, her hands clenching into tight fists as she breathed slowly, trying with all her might to ignore him, like she hand done so many times before. In her efforts to calm down, she hadn't noticed him walk toward her, a predatory smirk on his face.

"I'll take that silence as a yes, ay?" he said, bringing her out of her reverie with a swift squeeze of her arse. She jumped about a mile in the air, before facing him with a scarily calm expression.

"Never mistake silence for weakness," she grit out, looking up at his tall, muscular form and that irritating smirk of his.

"And why's that, love?"

"You don't plan a murder out loud," she sneered, before stalking of down the hall.

_'For God's Sake, what the hell was that?' _she fretted, as she ran to the transfiguration classroom, knocking on the door.

"Come in," McGonagall called from behind the door. She swung the door open to see her professor standing in front of a full classroom of seventh years, "Miss Evans, why are you in my classroom and not your own?"

She was so nervous. There were twenty or so eighteen-year-olds staring at her and McGonagall's piercing stare - the one she usually reserved for the other students in her class - was fully focused on her.

"Er, I forgot my bag," she said, pointing awkwardly to her desk, where a boy was sitting.

"And why have you now decided to retrieve it?" she said, looking at a confused Hermione with an irate expression, "If you hadn't noticed, Miss Evans, it is now half way through your second lesson. Had you noticed that? Well?"

"I-"

"It does not seem to me that you had," the professor interrupted harshly, before Hermione could answer, "Where have you been, if you were not wherever you were supposed to be? Surely it cannot take half an hour to get to my classroom from wherever you were headed? What was your lesson? Does your professor know that you are here? Have you even been to your lesson, Miss Evans?"

Hermione stood, stock-still with no absolutely no clue how to answer the questions, never mind which one to start with, "I-"

"I don't wish to hear your excuses, Miss Evans. Now, collect your bag and be on your way; I'm sure whichever teacher you have will be wondering of your whereabouts by now."

Hermione scurried to her desk, barely looking at the dark-haired boy who sat there, though she did catch a glimpse of his face, and she could tell her was trying to hold in a laugh. She glared at him quickly, his eyes widening at the bravery of the little fifth year, and then grabbed her bag and then rushed over to the door, her skin tingling under the scrutiny of the class.

"And Miss Evans," the stern Professor said, making her halt, her hand grasping the door, "You will have detention for this little debacle, you can be sure of that."

Gritting her teeth, she imagined a certain Black lying in a coffin as she nodded her head before walking out the door.

* * *

Hermione walked into Potions in a daze, apologised to a smiling Professor Slughorn, and made her way over to her seat next to Mary without even looking at her. She was so confused; she'd never so much as gotten points taken away at Hogwarts, let alone got detention. Luckily, he was going to get into the same amount of trouble, maybe even more, 'cause missing class altogether.

_'At least he's getting what he deserves,' _she thought, _'serves him right.'_

The two sat in silence, though Hermione could see her friend glancing sideways to her.

"Students," Slughorn bellowed cheerfully, grabbing all of their attentions, "I will just be stepping out for a moment, please begin your brewing."

"Mione!" her friend cried as the other students made their way to the cupboard at the back of the classroom and the door closed on Slughorn, "Where have you been?"

"I went to McGonagall's room, but Black got in my way," she sighed, shuffling in her seat as she read the board, "He's not here, though."

"You mean Sirius?" Mary asked, looking behind her, "He's been here longer than you."

"What!" she cried, turning to see what - or who - she was looking at. Sirius Black was laughing with Remus Lupin, looking down at their cauldron as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm gonna kill him," she seethed, not seeing Mary's shocked face, "I don't care if I have to jump to do it, that tall bastard, he deserves it!"

She strode toward him, anger rising in her chest as she watched him joke with his friends, before slamming her hands down on their desk, making the potion wobble on its stand.

"You!" she roared, garnering the attention of all the class.

"Yes, Princess?" he chuckled, ignoring the confused looks from the classroom, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"You, you, you absolute twat!" she yelled, "I hate you!"

"Mione?" Lily asked cautiously, stepping away from her potions bench where she had set up her stuff.

"What are you talking about Princess?" he asked.

Severus, who'd just come back from collected their ingredients, saw her state of rage and rushed in to help.

"What did you do to her?" he demanded, looking accusatory.

"I don't know!" Sirius cried in confusion, before realising who had asked him, "Not that it's any of your business, Snivellus!"

"You got me detention! Detention! I haven't gotten in trouble at this school for five years and then you come along and get me detention! You weren't in class either, but what do you get? Nothing! Not a single thing!" she rambled.

"Come on, love. This is something to celebrate!" he laughed, his friends joining in as she got angrier.

"The fact I haven't maimed you horribly is celebration enough," she snarled, "Woo bloody hoo."

"Minne, maybe you should calm down a bit," Mary said carefully, "If Slughorn catches you that'll be another detention. Black's not worth it..."

She took a deep breath as she thought about her friends words.

"Yeah, you're right," she admitted, walking back to her potions desk, amused stares coming from her classmates, who were used to this sort of thing happening around the Evans twins.

"Hey Evans," Potter called, making both girls turn, "I meant Lily Flower."

"What Potter?" she asked, the unimpressed look on her face making her sister giggle.

"Go out with me?"

"Never."

* * *

"So Lily," Clara said, breaking of a piece of chocolate from the Honeyduke's bag and chomping heartily, "Potter's been asking you out a lot more frequently these days..."

"Yeah Lils, he's basically told the entire school - multiple times I might add - that he wants to marry you," Mary giggled.

"Or snog you senseless!" Sarah added, sending the five girls into fits of laughter.

They were all up in the Gryffindor common room, sharing snacks, secrets and gossiping.

"Hey, _I'm _not the one who got caught coming out of the second floor bathroom looking thoroughly shagged, am I Sarah?" she replied, raising her eyebrows in the direction of her friend as the other girls looked at her in shock and interest.

"Yeah, remind me never to use Moaning Myrtle's bathroom to meet a boy again!" she groaned, grabbing a blood-flavoured lollipop and unwrapping it.

"Ugh! I don't know how you stomach those things!" Mary squealed, watching in disgust as her friend licked the scarlet sweet.

"Anyway, who was in there with you?" Lily asked slyly, winking to her sister, who was in fits of laughter at Sarah's face, which had flushed as red as her lolly in embarrassment.

"Tell us!" Clara urged, nudging her blushing friend.

"It was Lufhioms," she rushed out, so fast her words came out wrong.

"Sorry Sarah, but I don't think there is a Lufhomes in Hogwarts," Hermione smiled, "You'll have to speak up."

"Okay, okay! It was Luke Hopkins!" she said, before burying her face in her hands.

"Luke Hopkins," Clara said in amazement, looking at her friend as if she had a new head, "Luke Hopkins, as in the most kind, friendly and **gorgeous** Hufflepuff in our entire year?"

"No way!" Mary cried.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Lily and Hermione said, eyes as wide as they could go.

"Nope," Sarah grinned sheepishly, looking around her friends.

"You shagged Luke Hopkins?" Hermione asked, still in awe.

"No! No I didn't shag him," Sarah assured them, "We just snogged a bit."

"Still," Mary breathed out, a far away look in her eyes.

"So are you going out?" Lily questioned.

"He asked me to go to Hogsmeade next week!" she beamed, almost radiating happiness.

"That's amazing, Sarah!" Clara praised, clapping her hands together and mock bowing down to her friend.

"What about you then?" Mary smirked, looking over to her friend, "Who's caught our little Clarabeth's eye this year?"

"Oh, no one," she shrugged, looking down for a moment before meeting Mary's gaze.

"You do like someone!" Hermione burst, leaning forward to see her friend properly in the light, "Who?"

"Non of your business, Little Miss Nosy!"

"Come on Clara," Sarah whined, "I told you mine, now you tell me yours!"

"Okay, but only if our brave little Gryffindors tell as well!" she decided, "But I'll go first."

"Fine," Lily and Mary consented, both looking to Hermione.

"But I don't fancy anyone!" she called indignantly.

"Sure," Mary rolled her eyes, "Just say yes, Mione."

"Fine!"

"Okay," Clara sighed, mentally preparing herself, "I sort of like Remus."

"Remus?" Hermione said, "As in Remus 'I hate Severus Snape, I must play pranks, I'm a horrible person' Lupin?"

"No!" Clara said, offended, "As in Remus 'I'm really smart and funny and kind when I'm not around my friends' Lupin."

"I fancy Archie Davis!" Mary blurted, taking the attention away from Clara and onto her.

"Oh, he is lovely!" Sarah agreed, "And you Lily?"

"Well, Amos Diggory is quite handsome..." Lily admitted, making all the girls smile.

"He's a sixth year, isn't he Lils?" Hermione asked, putting a perfectly sculpted face to the names.

"Yeah, he is," she said dreamily.

"Finally, our little Mione!" Clara giggled, looking over to a thoughtful Hermione.

"Well, I don't think I like him per say," she started, "I don't actually know his name. But today, when I went to get my bag from transfiguration, there was this guy in her seventh year class who was sitting at my desk. He was laughing at me when McGonagall yelled at me-"

"I still can't believe she did that."

"Anyway, I can't stop thinking about him..."

"Then that will be our first official mission," Sarah declared.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"To find out mystery boy's name!"


	9. Chapter 9: Mysteries Arising

Okay, very strange chapter. Not much Sirius, but a lot of character development.

Have fun!

Emmy. x

* * *

"Professor?" Lily called from her desk, her hand raised in the air.

"Yes, Miss Chudderley?" he droned, his slivery form looking up from his desk, "What is the matter?"

"Um, you seem to have place me in the wrong seat."

"What do you mean?" he inquired, peering over to her desk in mild annoyance.

"Er, well," she said, "I usually sit with Eva and Daisy, but you seem to have assigned me a seat next to Mr Cotton…"

"That was intentional, Miss Chudderley," he said, looking back at his marking, "You have made excellent progress throughout the year, however Mr Cotton & Mr Kent seemed to be struggling somewhat with their own advancement, therefore you and Miss Dwerryhouse have been split between the two."

"Oh, alright."

Hermione made her way from the door over to where Pettigrew was sitting, looking over to where her sister was fuming next to Lupin.

"Er, I," Pettigrew started, looking nervously from his desk to Hermione, then back down. She tried to ignore him, thinking hard about all the times he'd giggled when his stupid friends laughed at Sev, or thrown his own hexes, but he was quite endearing. He always had this forlorn expression whenever he saw his friends joking about, and he'd been teased mercilessly for his size and unfortunately mouse-like features. Hermione knew that he had crippling self-confidence issues, because he always stuttered around everyone but the prats, and she couldn't help but feel bad for him.

'_Maybe this is a sign,' _she thought, looking curiously over to the jittering boy.

"I-I-I didn't ask him to move y-you. I p-p-promise."

"I know Pettigrew," she sighed, grabbing her textbook from her bag.

"Er-"

"Just, don't do anything stupid, please. I'm sure you're a lot smarter that Potter or Black, even if you have no spine whatsoever."

"W-well they are kind, if you get to know them."

"They're great big bullies!" she huffed, "No one deserves to be pranked and humiliated like that, and you always target Severus! Why?"

"I-I don't think I could tell you…"

"Exactly, it makes no sense!" she said, any idea of paying attention to Binns' lecture out the window.

"N-n-n-"

"I knew it!"

"No," he said quite forcefully, no hint of a stutter, "I don't think I'm allowed to tell you."

"What?" she said, confused by his answer and shocked at his change in demeanour, "What do you mean, you can't tell me?"

"It's quite personal, Hermione," Peter shrugged, "But there is a good reason."

"Well," she paused, looking down in guilt, "I'm sorry, Peter, its just Severus is my friend."

"Well they're my friends," he replied, "We see them differently."

"They're still gits, though," she said with a smile, Peter laughing quietly.

"Okay," he chuckled, and she giggled with him.

'_He's not as bad as Black,' _she realised, _'Maybe Clara's right about Lupin.'_

They both focused on Binns as he continued with his lecture, his dull, monotone voice lulling the less attentive students to sleep. Today, they were suffering through an hour and a half's droning on the subject of giant wars. As Hermione half listened, half daydreamed, she heard just enough to appreciate that, ironically, in another teacher's hands this subject might have been mildly interesting. Hermione almost drifted of for a kip of her own, but the Professor began asking questions.

"Can someone please tell me what the name of the leader of the revolution?"

She thought back to all the things he'd said, but the answer was evading her. Looking over to Peter, she noticed he'd written his own answer on a piece of parchment.

"Do you know it?" she whispered, pointing to the name he'd scrawled messily on the paper.

"Er, I-I think s-so," he said, covering his answer quickly with his pudgy hand.

"Why don't you put your hand up, then?" she asked, glancing around at the drowsy, confused students and an extremely disinterested Binns, "No one else knows it."

"Well, er," he stuttered, nervously biting his nail, "W-What if it's w-w-wrong?"

"It doesn't matter," she said, waving her hand to dismiss the notion, "As long as you've tried, that's what helps you learn."

"Well, m-maybe," he said, raising his arm just a little, "P-professor?"

"Yes, Mr Kent," the teacher sighed, "What is the matter now?"

"Er, the, er, answer to the question," he started, looking over to Hermione who inclined her head and smiled, telling him to go on, "Is, is it, er, Rukin?"

"Well, yes," Binns said, an impressed, yet confused - perhaps the most emotion he had shown since the start of Hogwarts - expression on his face, "Yes it is, Kent."

"Oh."

"Er, twenty points to Gryffindor, for being the only one to bother listening today," he said, before moving on with his lecture.

"That was wonderful, Peter!" Hermione beamed encouragingly, "You should always give an answer if you know it."

"A-alright, Hermione."

* * *

"Hey Mione," Mary smiled, sliding into the bench across from her friend, "What've you had?"

"Arithmancy then Binns," she said, rolling her eyes as Mary yawned dramatically, "What about you?"

"Double divination," she giggled, grabbing a sandwich from the golden platter on the table, "It was hilarious!"

"What happened this time, then?"

"Sarah got professor Ravensdale to believe she saw her true love in her teacup," she said, "Now she's in love with her because she's 'got the sight'."

"It's a load of rubbish," she huffed, "God knows why you decided to take it."

"Well Mione, not everyone wants to be doing work twenty four seven."

"Alright, alright," she laughed, picking up her pumpkin juice.

"Where's Lily?"

"She's in the library with Sev."

"Why?" Mary asked, looking up from her chicken sarnie, furrowing her brows.

"I'm not really sure," she frowned, "I think she mentioned something about studying."

"It's the first week back, for god's sake, what've they got to study?"

"I don't know!"

They ate in silence for a while, but Hermione could feel the niggling sense of someone watching her. She glanced around the hall, seeing the usual - Potter, Lupin and Peter messing around whilst Sirius flirted with a new slag, Hufflepuffs laughing and Ravenclaws studying - but something still felt off.

"Can you feel someone staring?" she asked cautiously.

"No..." Mary trailed off, looking around to see what Hermione meant.

"I don't know what it is," she muttered. She could see three of the four tables, but she couldn't see anyone staring at her.

"Hey Minne," Mary whispered, putting her scotch egg down and leaning over the table slightly, "That guy in Slytherin, Malfoy, he's staring at you."

"What?"

"The one in seventh year, he's looking right at you."

She peered over her shoulder, trying to be discreet, but it didn't seem to work as he winked at her, before turning to his friends and continuing his conversation.

"What was that?" she said, confused.

"I don't know," Mary shrugged, before smirking, "Maybe he's interested in you."

"No," she scoffed, "It's probably just someone in front of me."

"Yeah, yeah," Mary giggled, "You've been getting a lot of attention from seventh years lately."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there's Malfoy and then that guy in McGonagall's class," she raised her eyebrows jokingly.

"I don't even know who he is!"

"But we've been getting closer," Mary insisted, "You know you want to know."

"Yeah, but I can't find him anywhere!"

"We'll keep looking, don't worry."

"Hey, have we got DADA next?" Hermione asked, smiling as the platters of lunch food disappeared, before being replaced with piles of sweet treats and sugary snacks.

"Yeah," she said, stuffing a treacle tart in her mouth and chewing, "It's nearly the end of lunch, isn't it?"

"I think so."

"Are we still on with Sarah and Clara for a mini snack-fest before curfew tonight?"

"Yeah, they're coming over to our room tonight, then next week we're going to their common room. Sarah says we can't use their room, 'cause Tansy Coombs is always in there studying."

"Sound's groovy!"

Hermione picked up a fondant fancy and started to pick off the icing, looking around the room again; it seemed Malfoy had left, probably to go to his next class. She was shocked when the bell went to tell them their third lesson had begun. Deserting her dessert, she and Mary made their way down the hall to the defence room, giggling as she told Hermione about how Archie Davis had smiled at her in care of magical creatures yesterday.

"Hey Mione," Severus grinned, "Hi Mary."

She and Mary had made their way down the hall to the defence room, giggling as she told Hermione about how Archie Davis had smiled at her in care of magical creatures yesterday.

"Hey Sev," she waved, coming to stand next to him and Lily.

"Hello," Mary said, looking to the two of them, "Where've you two been then?"

"Nowhere," Lily said quickly, making the two other girls confused, "We were just studying."

"Yes, we've got a test in Muggle studies," Severus added, smiling.

"Oh, Clara never mentioned a test," Hermione frowned, thinking back to the conversation they'd had the day before.

"Oh, that'll be 'cause she's with the Slytherins."

"Oh, okay," Hermione nodded, knowing the uncertain look in her twin's eye, but letting it go all the same.

"Class, if you would come into the classroom, please," Professor Merrythought announced, opening her door.

"Here goes nothing."

They all walked in, sitting in the middle rows of the classroom they'd claimed at the start of the week.

"Right, on wednesday you learnt a few offensive spells, so we're going to practice them today, and then next week we'll move onto something new," Professor Merrythought told them.

Black's hand went soaring into the air, making Merrythought and Hermione groan.

"What is it, Black?"

"When are we actually going to duel?" he asked, looking excitedly at his mates.

"You will be duelling as part of your christmas assessment, however the first half of this term will be focused mainly on protecting yourselves from attacks in a wizarding duel, then after the christmas holidays, we will move on to protecting yourself from dark creatures," she informed, looking over to the board, "Now, can anyone tell me the spells you have been learning this past week?"

Hermione's hand shot into the air, as did a few others, but she grinned when Peter's hand hesitantly joined them. His friends were looking at him in amazement, but he was steadfast.

"Yes, Mr Pettigrew?"

"The, er, the blasting curse a-and diffindo."

"Correct, now..."

Hermione grinned as professor Merrythought continued her teaching.

_'This confidence thing really works for him,'_ she laughed to herself, noticingToril Harpendon - a pretty, if not slightly cruel, Slytherin - looking over from her text book to Peter.

"Hey Sev," she whispered, poking her best friend, "Will you partner with me?"

"Of course, Mione," he smiled.

* * *

"I do not know what it is about raw cake mix that tastes so delicious," she said, pointing her sticky, mixture covered spoon at Lily, "But I do know I could literally eat an entire bowl of it without getting sick."

"No you couldn't, Mione," Lily laughed, snatching the popcorn from Sarah.

Hermione licked her spoon languidly, looking up at her sister from where she was lying on the dorm floor, "I could to! Anyway, Clara."

"Yes, Minne dear?" she simpered sarcastically, batting her eyelids.

"Are you glad we introduced you to muggle sweets?" she asked, gesturing to the array of goodies the muggle twins had snuck into their trunks before they set off. There were piles of different kinds of treat, each sweet a toothache waiting to happen. Creamy chunks of nougat in pink and white; a bag or two of sweet, buttery popcorn they'd taken from the shop in the pictures; striped paper bag, brimming with all types of pick and mix; and sugar coated strawberry laces and liquorice strips that went on for miles.

"Definitely, I love these things. Though I don't understand why you only like the red and black ones, they're all yummy!" she beamed, popping a wine gum in her mouth.

"I know I am!" Mary giggled, scooping out a spoonful of Hermione's cake mix.

"Hey! That's mine!" Hermione complained as tried to bat away her friend's hand, but Mary managed to get the batter in her mouth.

"Sharing is caring," Sarah sang, grabbing a handful of jelly babies and taking out her blood-pop, the sticky crimson lolly glistening in the brightly lit dorm, to rip the head off a powdery green one.

"If caring about you involves giving away the most delicious thing I've ever tasted," she said, grabbing the bowl off the carpet next to her and placing it on her stomach and hugging it protectively like a mother would her child, "I don't want any of you in my life."

"Mione, how dare you!" Lily gasped, "Is that sickly stuff really more important to you than your own _sister_?"

"It's not like I'd be losing two siblings," she said coolly, looking at her bowl,trying to keep her face straight after she saw her sister's scandalised expression, "Sev hates it; so I'll still have a brother."

She glanced up to her sister's shocked face and she couldn't keep the laughter in: she burst into fits of giggles, the girls chuckling along with her as Lily hit her viciously. Her twin whacked the nearly empty bowl off her stomach, and pinned her down on the ground, grinning smugly.

"Tell me you love me," she said, "Or you stay here for the rest of the night."

"You can't keep me in here! What about when we have to take our little Ravenclaws back?" Hermione said, raising her eyebrows as if to prove her point, "Mary can't walk back all alone."

"I don't care," Lily said, "Tell me you love me."

"But-"

"Tell me you love me!" she glared, punctuating each word with a whack, "Or you don't get any more cake mix for the rest of the year!"

"Okay, okay," Hermione gasped, breathless, holding her hands out in surrender, "I love you, I love you."

"Good," Lily giggled along with the other girls in the dorm, "Now, what time is it?"

Clara cast a quick tempus, "It's just gone twenty to, Lils."

"Ah, time to get you cheeky little girls off to bed!"

"Ooh, ooh," Hermione said, sitting up and bouncing where she sat in excitement, "Can we get some more cake mix from the kitchens?"

"Yes, Minne," Mary said, laughing as her friend squealed.

"Lets go, lets go, lets go!" she urged, standing up and running to the door.

"That eager to get rid of us, ay?" Sarah huffed, a playful glint in her eyes and a twitch at the corner of her mouth. She made her way to the hallway where Hermione stood, the other girls following, and they made their way down the stairs.

"Er, where are you off to at this hour?" Marlin Corner, the seventh year Gryffindor prefect, asked from a sofa by the fire. She was a pretty nice girl, and she never really took points away unless you'd done something awful.

"We're just taking these two back to Ravenclaw, Marl," Hermione told her, "We promise we'll be back before curfew and Filch won't see a thing."

"Yeah, we don't do detentions," Lily smiled.

"Oh, speaking of detention," Marlin said, turning full to face the girls, "You remember when you barged into transfiguration on Monday?"

"Ugh, I forgot about the detention," Hermione groaned, "When is it?"

"No, it's not about that," she said, shaking her head, "There's a boy in that class, a Slytherin. He says he was sitting in your seat?"

"Oh, him," Hermione said, trying to act casual but biting her lip in nervousness, "I don't even know his name."

"Well he's been asking around all the Gryffindor seventh years for you. He's put in a lot of effort."

"Oh, do I have something of his?" she asked innocently, ignoring the amused smirk of the elder girl. Lily nudged her, and pointed to the door, telling Hermione they were going out.

"No, but I think you know what I mean..."

"Er, well, thanks for telling me?"

"Do you want me to pass on a message?"

"Yeah, tell him if he really wants to speak to me, he can come and find me himself," Hermione grinned cheekily, before running out of the common room after her friends. She finally caught up the them, and they were close to the Ravenclaw common room.

"So, we've finally found your mystery boy," Sarah said, as they made their way down the corridors.

"God, mystery boy. I forgot to get his name!"

"You idiot," Clara smiled, chewing on a fruit salad she's half inched from the girls' dorm, "What did she say when we left?"

"She asked if I'd like to send him a message, so I told her to tell him he could find me himself."

"Oh, naughty Minne!" Mary teased, giggling as they reached the door.

"That's not very romantic," Clara frowned, answering the riddle quickly and opening the door.

"Oh well," Hermione sighed, "Night!"

They all wished each other good night, then the Gryffindor girls made their way back to bed.

* * *

Meanwhile, hidden under an invisibility cloak, scowling with distaste, Sirius Black wondered who and why this 'mystery boy' was, and why he was moving in on his territory.

They may not have known, but Lily and Hermione Evans were under the protection of James Potter and Sirius Black: they had claimed them the first day of third year and whoever this idiot was, he was looking for trouble. She may hate him, but Hermione was his.


	10. Chapter 10: Relationship are Complicated

Hello, New Chapter!

It may be revised, but it probably won't effect you. Note: Lucius will be involved in this story, I promise, and for Dee Rosa, some Lily action and a bit of an explanation as to the weird behaviours from her and Severus.

Emmy. x

* * *

Hermione sighed, slipping into the blissfully comfy armchair of the Gryffindor common room, a book one hand and a mug of hot chocolate in the other. She was curled up with a blanket her mother had made for her, trying to give her mind a rest before classes started the next day. She'd left her friends, who were hanging out in the library, for the comforts of the marble fireplace and the sound of rain thrashing onto the windows. Crooks had nipped out to the kitchens to see if her could grab some fish, but Hermione knew he was clever, so she didn't worry about him coming back.

The first few weeks of O.W.L classes had been hellish, especially with all the new courses they were taking; as excited Hermione had been about learning ancient ruins, sitting in a classroom with two Ravenclaw boys, a Slytherin and an almost silent professor as she sowed the ruin for protection into her pyjamas and watched them attempt to the same, was not what she'd pictured.

She'd had some fun, though, in potions, making dragon tonic with Mary – that professor Slughorn had told her was going to go straight to a dragon reserve in Wales - because they'd both finished their strengthening solution a day early.

It was this gloopy, gungy, putrid-yellow mess that stuck to the wooden spoon they'd used to stir it, and it smelt like rotting tuna and harpy's breath. They'd giggled at the nasty looks they were receiving from their classmates because the professor had taught them a bubble charm to keep from breathing the rancid air it was expelling, but none of them could do anything about it because he had been watching them and answering any questions they had.

She was especially glad Black's band of merry pricks had been leaving her alone for the moment. Sure, there'd been the incident with the tar in her shoes, and that time when he'd turned her hair green and silver, but at least he'd stopped with the intimidating encounters when they were alone. In fact, he'd barely acknowledged her – not that she cared.

She and Peter had started chatting lightly in class, and Hermione knew that Clara had somehow managed to fit into Lupin's busy schedule of pranks, marauding and study, but the Black and Potter were just as annoying; Potter had even asked Lily to marry him!

"So, we can use the brooms to get in there and then-" Hermione looked up to see the four boys that'd distracted her from the riveting pages of the latest stupid romance novel her mother had sent her,_ Two Hundred and Sixty Days of Tulips, _climbing through the portrait hole. Their conversation had been abruptly paused when James had seen her, had clumsily hit his friend on the chest to stop him talking.

"Hi Peter," she smiled, before looking to the other boys, "Potter, Lupin."

"What, no welcome for your favourite person?" Black winked, making Hermione frown.

"Sorry twat, I forgot you were in the room," she rolled her eyes.

"Ooh, someone's feisty today," he chuckled, picking up her book, dodging her attempts to snatch it back, "Looks like a fun book."

"It's none of your damn business what I read, Black," she huffed, grabbing it back and putting it next to her, crossing her arms and inadvertently pushing up her bosom.

"You've got some great boobs," he smirked appreciatively.

"You're an prick! Stop being a prick, you prick!"

"Oh, how eloquent," he shook his head.

"How was your weekend, Peter?" she asked ignoring Black.

"Oh," he stuttered awkwardly, not entirely sure if there wasn't another Peter behind him or if the argument with her and Sirius was actually finished, "It, it was good, Hermione. Er, how was y-yours?"

"It was alright," she shrugged tiredly, "You know what it's like with all this homework piling up. I can't imagine taking N.E.W.T's at the moment, they're supposed to be almost double the work."

"Really, I thought you did less subjects?" he asked.

"Yeah, you do," she laughed, folding the corner of her page and closing the book, "It's going to be tough."

"I know! And-"

A loud and obviously faked cough broke into the conversation, and the two brought their attention to the foot of staircase to the boy's dorm, where the other three boys were stood. Two of which had confusion written on their faces, and the other a look of annoyance.

She could see the perfect hair of Black, and the scowl on his face made him look like a prince who'd been refused something. Ugh, she hated him, even if he was bloody gorgeous.

"Oh, sorry Peter," she apologised from the sofa, taking a sip of her hot chocolate and snuggling into her blanket despite the warmth of the fire, "I didn't realise I was keeping you from something."

"You weren't, d-don't worry about it," he assured her, reverting to his stutter a little under the gaze of his friends, "I-I better go."

"Sure," she smiled softly, "I'll see you in history of magic, right?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "See you."

Hermione watched the group of four trample up the stairs, before returning to her book.

"Sam sighed as he watched the girl from across the coffee shop, his tea going cold from neglect. He had been observing her for the past few weeks, every Wednesday when he came in for lunch on his break, but he'd yet to make a move," Hermione read to herself, picturing a tall, dark-haired man hunched up on a chair too small to accommodate his muscly bulk, "Today was going to be the day he would introduce himself, and they'd live happily ever after. But then again, he'd told himself that the past three Wednesdays he'd been at the Teaspoon."

* * *

"So, made any new friends lately Peter?" Sirius asked nonchalantly, flopping own onto his bed and trying to contain his urge to shake the boy for information. He'd always hated Evans, but for some reason he often found himself observing her when she wasn't looking his way, which was quite often - not that he cared.

When he'd first met her, she'd been prettier than all the other girls he'd met, and for a moment he thought he would like her, but then she'd opened her damn mouth. She'd been so peppy and excited, asking all these irritating questions and then blaming him for her cat clawing him to near death and accusing him of being cruel when Snivellus was the one who'd been mean. James had done the same with Lily, but he'd wimped out in the third year when he'd fallen in love with her and now he wouldn't shut up about her. Sirius was never going to fall in love with Evans; she was too damn annoying and she was so damn naive it made him want to whisper dirty things in her ear till her pale face was flushed and her doe-like eyes widened more.

He'd admit, she was beautiful. Perhaps not in the conventional tall, skinny, blonde model way, but her soft curves and small stature were complimenting in their own way, and seemed to match perfectly with her vibrant bouncing curls. She was prettier than any of the girls Sirius had snogged in the quidditch cupboard - and he may have dreamed of twisting his fingers in that wild mane, with her bright emerald eyes staring into his own lustfully - but that didn't mean he liked her, even if he'd staked his claim.

"Er, well she helped me out in history of magic, and then we just kind of started talking," he tried to explain, sitting on the edge of his own bed, fiddling with his hands nervously, "I-I know you don't like her that much, but she's really nice and-"

"She's a pain in the arse," James laughed, "But funny. Too bloody smart for her own good and always quick with a comeback."

"Getting sentimental, Prongs?" Remus teased, "I thought it was the other Evans you were after."

"They're twins, aren't they?" Peter said, his brows furrowing.

"Yes, but there not exactly identical, are they?" Remus answered, "I don't understand why you two don't like her."

"Well we all know why you like her," James countered, a smirk gracing his face, "What's the name of that friend of her friend again?"

"Clara," he bit out, regretting it immediately as Sirius and James sniggered, "But you _can't_ tell Hermione, Peter."

"I wouldn't dare," he put his hands up, as if to surrender, "I like Hermione, she's really nice."

"She's an bloody irritating bint, Wormtail," Sirius growled, "I haven't pranked her in a while, have I?"

"Oh Padfoot, I thought you'd grown out of this," Remus sighed exhaustedly, "You've pranked her twice this term, isn't that enough?"

"No, she deserves something bigger than just a colour change charm," he said, thinking back to how she'd just ignored him earlier.

_"I'll make her pay attention,_" he decided, thinking up ways to do so, "_Even if it's the last thing I do._"

"Boys, we've got some planning to do."

* * *

"Sirius, have you seen Hermione?" Marlin asked him as he headed to the portrait for breakfast.

"No, but she'll probably be in the great hall," he said, "Why?"

"I've got a note for her," the prefect beamed, holding up a little piece of paper, "If you're going to see her anyway, will you give it to her?"

"Sure," he shrugged, plucking it out of her hands and shoving it in the pocket of his robes, "Who's it off?"

"There's this guy in seventh year, Oliver Pritchard, who's interested in her," Marlin said, "I have a feeling that's got something to do with them meeting up."

"Oh, alright," he nodded, containing his anger, "See you."

As soon as he'd left her eyesight, Sirius grabbed the note and unfolded it quickly.

...

_Dear Hermione Evans (pretty name, by the way),_

_If you don't remember me, I was the boy laughing at you from your seat in McGonagall's class, my name's Oliver Pritchard. I was wondering, if you're interested, meet me in the kitchens after dinner tonight._

_Hope to see you._

...

"Well, we'll see about that," Sirius glared, thinking of the many curses he could throw at this idiot.

* * *

"Mione, I've got to speak to a teacher about some homework, I'll see you in class," Lily said, standing from the bench.

"Oh, I'll come with, I've finished breakfast," Hermione offered.

"No, you stay here with Mary; we've got potions next and you're partners," Lily insisted, walking out of the hall.

"Is it just me, or is she acting really oddly?" Mary frowned, looking down to the great oak doors of the hall where Lily had just left.

"It's not just you," Hermione agreed, her gaze finding Severus, who'd been distant with Lily since the awkwardness before DADA.

* * *

"You promise you won't tell anyone?" Lily demanded, looking deeply into the hazel eyes of the boy she was pressed up against in the alcove, "Not even your friends?"

"I promise," he nodded earnestly, "Now kiss me, lily flower."

* * *

Hope you liked it! Read and review x


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